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THE YALE SHAKESPEARE 



Edited by 
Wilbur L. Cross Tucker Brooke 

WlLLARD HlGLEY DURHAM 



Published under the Direction 

or the 

Department of English, Yale University, 

on the Fund 

Given to the Yale University Press in 1917 

by the Members of the 

Kingsley Trust Association 

To Commemorate the Seventy-Fifth Anniversary 

of the Founding of the Society 



The Yale Shakespeare '. 



THE LIFE OF 
HENRY THE FIFTH 

EDITED BY 

ROBERT D. FRENCH 




pssSStf** 



NEW HAVEN • YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS 

LONDON • HUMPHREY MILFORD 
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS • MCMXVIII 






Copyright, 1918 
By Yale University Press 



First published, September, 1918 



DEC il 1918 



©CI.A506871 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



The Text 

Notes ....... 

Appendix A. Sources of the Play 

Appendix B. The History of the Play 

Appendix C. The Text of the Present Edi- 
tion .... 

Appendix D. Suggestions for Collateral 
Reading 

Index of Words Glossed .... 



page 

1 

122 

134 

135 

139 

141 
142 



The facsimile opposite represents the title-yage of the Eliza- 
bethan Club copy of the first edition of 'Henry V.' Five other 
copies are known. It is remarkable that none of the three 
quarto editions of this play bear the author's name. 



THE 

CRONICLE 

Hiftory of Henry the fift, 

With liis batteil fought at Agm Qourt in 

France. Togither with Atmtient 

Pittoll. 

ds it hath benefundry times playdby thcRight honorabk 
she Lord Chamber laine htsfcruants. 




LONDON 

Printed by Thomas Cra^forTho. Milling- 

ton,and Iohn Busby. And are to be 

(old at his houfe in Carter Lane, next 

the Powle head. 1600. 



[DRAMATIS PERSONS 

King Henry the Fifth 

Duke of Gloucester, 1 

Duke of Bedford, [Brothers to the King 

Duke of Clarence, J 

Duke of Exeter, Uncle to the King 

Duke of York, Cousin to the King 

Earls of Salisbury, Westmoreland, and Warwick 

Archbishop of Canterbury 

Bishop of Ely 

Earl of Cambridge 

Lord Scroop of Masham 

Sir Thomas Grey 

Sir Thomas Erpingham, Gower, Fluellen, Macmorris, 

J amy, Officers in King Henry's Army 
Bates, Court, Williams, Soldiers in the Same 
Pistol, Nym, Bardolph 
Boy 
A Herald 

Charles the Sixth, King of France 

Lewis, the Dauphin 

Dukes of Burgundy, Orleans, and Bourbon 

The Constable of France 

Rambures and Grandpre, French Lords 

Montjoy, a French Herald 

Governor of Harfleur 

Ambassadors to the King of England 

Isabel, Queen of France 

Katharine, Daughter to Charles and Isabel 

Alice, a Lady attending on the Princess Katharine 

Hostess of the Boar's Head Tavern, formerly Mistress 
Quickly, and now married to Pistol 

Lords, Ladies, Officers, French and English Soldiers, Citi- 
zens, Messengers, and Attendants 

Chorus 

Scene: England to the close of Act II. Sc. Hi; 

afterwards France] 



The Life of Henry the Fifth 

Enter Prologue. 

O ! for a Muse of fire, that would ascend 

The brightest heaven of invention ; 

A kingdom for a stage, princes to act 

And monarchs to behold the swelling scene. 4 

Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, 

Assume the port of Mars ; and at his heels, 

Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire 

Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all, 

The flat unraised spirits that hath dar'd 9 

On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth 

So great an object: can this cockpit hold 

The vasty fields of France? or may we cram 12 

Within this wooden O the very casques 

That did affright the air at Agincourt? 

O, pardon ! since a crooked figure may 

Attest in little place a million; 16 

And let us, ciphers to this great accompt, 

On your imaginary forces work. 

Suppose within the girdle of these walls 

Are now confin'd two mighty monarchies, 20 

Whose high upreared and abutting fronts 

The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder: 

Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts : 

Into a thousand parts divide one man, 24 

And make imaginary puissance; 

Think when we talk of horses that you see them 

6 port: bearing 9 unraised: unaspiring 10 scaffold: stage 

11 cockpit; cf. n. 12 vasty: vast 

13 the very casques: even the helmets 16 Attest: stand for; cf. n. 

17 accompt: account 18 imaginary: imaginative 

21 abutting: adjacent 



2 N The Life of 

Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth ; 
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our 
kings, 28 

Carry them here and there, jumping o'er times, 
Turning the accomplishment of many years 
Into an hour-glass: for the which supply, 
Admit me Chorus to this history ; 32 

Who prologue-like your humble patience pray, 
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. Exit. 



ACT FIRST 

Scene One 

[London. An Antechamber in the King's Palace"] 

Enter the two Bishops of Canterbury and Ely. 

Cant. My lord, I'll tell you; that self bill is urg'd, 
Which in th' eleventh year of the last king's reign 
Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd, 
But that the scambling and unquiet time 4 

Did push it out of further question. 

Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? 

Cant. It must be thought on. If it pass against us, 
We lose the better half of our possession; 8 

For all the temporal lands which men devout 
By testament have given to the church 
Would they strip from us ; being valu'd thus : 
As much as would maintain, to the king's honour, 12 
Full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights, 
Six thousand and two hundred good esquires ; 

29 jumping o'er times; cf. n. 

31 for . . . supply: for which service 32 Chorus; cf. n. 

Scene One S. d. Bishops; cf. n. 1 self: same 3 like: likely {to pass) 

4 scambling: turbulent 5 question: consideration 



Henry the Fifth, I. i 3 

And, to relief of lazars and weak age, 

Of indigent faint souls past corporal toil, 16 

A hundred almshouses right well supplied; 

And to the coffers of the king beside, 

A thousand pounds by the year. Thus runs the bill. 

Ely. This would drink deep. 

Cant. 'T would drink the cup and all. 

Ely. But what prevention ? 21 

Cant. The king is full of grace and fair regard. 

Ely. And a true lover of the holy church. 

Cant. The courses of his youth promis'd it not. 24 
The breath no sooner left his father's body 
But that his wildness, mortified in him, 
Seem'd to die too ; yea, at that very moment, 
Consideration like an angel came, 28 

And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him, 
Leaving his body as a paradise, 
To envelop and contain celestial spirits. 
Never was such a sudden scholar made; 32 

Never came reformation in a flood, 
With such a heady currance, scouring faults ; 
Nor never Hydra-headed wilfulness 
So soon did lose his seat and all at once 36 

As in this king. 

Ely. We are blessed in the change. 

Cant. Hear him but reason in divinity, 
And, all-admiring, with an inward wish 
You would desire the king were made a prelate: 40 
Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, 
You would say it hath been all in all his study: 
List his discourse of war, and you shall hear 

15 lazars: beggars (especially lepers) 26 mortified: subdued 

28 Consideration: reflection 34 heady currance: headlong current 

35 Hydra-headed: many-headed; cf. n. 36 his: its 

43 List: listen to 



* The Life of 

A fearful battle render'd you in music: 44 

Turn him to any cause of policy, 

The Gordian knot of it he will unloose, 

Familiar as his garter; that, when he speaks, 

The air, a charter'd libertine, is still, 48 

And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears, 

To steal his sweet and honey'd sentences ; 

50 that the art and practic part of life 

Must be the mistress to this theoric: 52 

Which is a wonder how his Grace should glean it, 

Since his addiction was to courses vain ; 

His companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow; 

His hours fill'd up with riots, banquets, sports ; 56 

And never noted in him any study, 

Any retirement, any sequestration 

From open haunts and popularity. 

Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle, 
And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best 61 

Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality : 
And so the prince obscur'd his contemplation 
Under the veil of wildness; which, no doubt, 64 

Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night, 
Unseen, yet crescive in his faculty. 

Cant. It must be so; for miracles are ceas'd; 
And therefore we must needs admit the means 
How things are perfected. 

Ely. But, my good lord, 69 

How now for mitigation of this bill 
Urg'd by the commons? Doth his majesty 
Incline to it, or no? 

45 cause of policy: political question 46 Gordian knot; cf. n. 

47 that: so t hat 48 charter'd: privileged 

51 art; cf. n. practic: practical 52 theoric: theory 
55 companies: companions 57 never noted: there was never noted 
58 sequestration : withdrazval 59 popularity : low company 
63 contemplation: thoughtful nature 

66 crescive in his faculty: increasing by its ozvn power 



Henry the Fifth, I. i 



Cant. He seems indifferent, 72 

Or rather swaying more upon our part 
Than cherishing the exhibiters against us ; 
For I have made an offer to his majesty, 
Upon our spiritual convocation, 76 

And in regard of causes now in hand, 
Which I have open'd to his Grace at large, 
As touching France, to give a greater sum 
Than ever at one time the clergy yet 80 

Did to his predecessors part withal. 

Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord? 

Cant. With good acceptance of his majesty; 
Save that there was not time enough to hear, — 84 
As I perceiv'd his Grace would fain have done, — 
The severals and unhidden passages 
Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms, 
And generally to the crown and seat of France, 
Deriv'd from Edward, his great-grandfather. 89 

Ely. What was the impediment that broke this off? 

Cant. The French ambassador upon that instant 
Crav'd audience; and the hour I think is come 
To give him hearing: is it four o'clock? 93 

Ely. It is. 

Cant. Then go we in to know his embassy ; 
Which I could with a ready guess declare 96 

Before the Frenchman speak a word of it. 

Ely. I'll wait upon you, and I long to hear it. 

Exeunt. 

73 upon our part: to our side 

74 exhibiters: i.e., those who presented the bill in Parliament 

76 Upon: upon the authority of 81 withal: with 

86 severals: details passages: lines of succession 

39 Edward; cf. n. 95 embassy: message 



6 The Life of 

Scene Two 
[The Presence Chamber] 

Enter the King, Humphrey [Duke of Gloucester"], 
Bedford, Clarence, Warwick, Westmoreland, and 
Exeter [with Attendants]. 

K. Hen. Where is my gracious lord of Canterbury ? 

Exe. Not here in presence. 

K. Hen. Send for him, good uncle. 

West. Shall we call in the ambassador, my liege ? 

K. Hen. Not yet, my cousin: we would be re- 
solv'd, 4 

Before we hear him, of some things of weight 
That task our thoughts, concerning us and France. 

Enter [the] two Bishops. 

Cant. God and his angels guard your sacred throne, 
And make you long become it ! 

K. Hen. Sure, we thank you. 

My learned lord, we pray you to proceed, 9 

And justly and religiously unfold 
Why the law Salique that they have in France 
Or should, or should not, bar us in our claim. 12 

And God forbid, my dear and faithful lord, 
That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your reading, 
Or nicely charge your understanding soul 
With opening titles miscreate, whose right 16 

Suits not in native colours with the truth; 
For God doth know how many now in health 
Shall drop their blood in approbation 

4 cousin: title of courtesy used by the sovereign in addressing a 
nobleman 4,5 resolv'd . . . of : satisfied about 6 task: trouble 
8 become: grace 11 law Salique: Salic law; cf. n. 12 Or: either 

14 wrest: pervert 15 nicely: sophistically charge: burden 

16 opening: disclosing miscreate: dishonestly invented 
19 approbation : proof 



Henry the Fifth, I, ii 



Of what your reverence shall incite us to. 20 

Therefore take heed how you impawn our person, 
How you awake our sleeping sword of war: 
We charge you in the name of God, take heed; 
For never two such kingdoms did contend 24 

Without much fall of blood; whose guiltless drops 
Are every one a woe, a sore complaint, 
'Gainst him whose wrongs give edge unto the swords 
That make such waste in brief mortality. 28 

Under this conjuration speak, my lord, 
For we will hear, note, and believe in heart, 
That what you speak is in your conscience wash'd 
As pure as sin with baptism. 32 

Cant. Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you 
peers, 
That owe yourselves, your lives, and services 
To this imperial throne. There is no bar 
To make against your highness' claim to France 36 
But this, which they produce from Pharamond, 
In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant, 
'No woman shall succeed in Salique land': 
Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze 40 

To be the realm of France, and Pharamond - 
The founder of this law and female bar. 
Yet their own authors faithfully affirm 
That the land Salique is in Germany, 44 

Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe; 
Where Charles the Great, having subdu'd the Saxons, 
There left behind and settled certain French ; 
Who, holding in disdain the German women 48 

For some dishonest manners of their life, 

21 impawn : pledge 28 mortality: human life 

37 Pharamond: legendary Frankish king 40 gloze: interpret 

45 floods: rivers 46 Charles the Great: Charlemagne 

49 dishonest: unchaste 



8 The Life of 

Established then this law; to wit, no female 

Should be inheritrix in Salique land: 

Which Salique, as I said, 'twixt Elbe and Sala, 

Is at this day in Germany call'd Meisen. 53 

Then doth it well appear the Salique law 

Was not devised for the realm of France; 

Nor did the French possess the Salique land 56 

Until four hundred one-and-twenty years 

After defunction of King Pharamond, 

Idly suppos'd the founder of this law; 

Who died within the year of our redemption 60 

Four hundred twenty-six; and Charles the Great 

Subdu'd the Saxons, and did seat the French 

Beyond the river Sala, in the year 

Eight hundred five. Besides, their writers say, 

King Pepin, which deposed Childeric, 65 

Did, as heir general, being descended 

Of Blithild, which was daughter to King Clothair, 

Make claim and title to the crown of France. 68 

Hugh Capet also, who usurp'd the crown 

Of Charles the Duke of Lorraine, sole heir male 

Of the true line and stock of Charles the Great, 

To find his title with some shows of truth, — 72 

Though in pure truth, it was corrupt and naught, — 

Convey'd himself as th' heir to the Lady Lingare, 

Daughter to Charlemain, who was the son 

To Lewis the emperor, and Lewis the son 76 

Of Charles the Great. Also King Lewis the Tenth, 

Who was sole heir to the usurper Capet, 

Could not keep quiet in his conscience, 

Wearing the crown of France, till satisfied 80 

57 Cf.n. 58 defunction: death 65 King Pepin; cf. n. 

69 Hugh Capet; cf. n. 72 find: provide 

74 Convey'd himself: passed himself off 

75 Charlemain: i.e., Charles the Bald 77 Lewis the Tenth; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, I. ii 



That fair Queen Isabel, his grandmother, 

Was lineal of the Lady Ermengare, 

Daughter to Charles the aforesaid Duke of Lorraine: 

By the which marriage the line of Charles the 

Great 84 

Was re-united to the crown of France. 
So that, as clear as is the summer's sun, 
King Pepin's title, and Hugh Capet's claim, 
King Lewis his satisfaction, all appear 88 

To hold in right and title of the female : 
So do the kings of France unto this day; 
Howbeit they would hold up this Salique law 
To bar your highness claiming from the female ; 
And rather choose to hide them in a net 93 

Than amply to imbar their crooked titles 
Usurp'd from you and your progenitors. 

K. Hen. May I with right and conscience make this 

claim? 96 

Cant . The sin upon my head, dread sovereign ! 
For in the book of Numbers is it writ : 
'When the man dies, let the inheritance 
Descend unto the daughter.' Gracious lord, 100 

Stand for your own ; unwind your bloody flag ; 
Look back into your mighty ancestors: 
Go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire's tomb, 
From whom you claim ; invoke his warlike spirit, 104 
And your great-uncle's, Edward the Black Prince, 
Who on the French ground play'd a tragedy, 
Making defeat on the full power of France ; 
Whiles his most mighty father on a hill 108 

Stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp 
Forage in blood of French nobility. 

82 lineal: direct descendant 88 King Lewis his: King Lewis' 

93 them: themselves 94 Cf. n. 

98 Numbers; cf. Numb. 27. 8. 106-114 Cf. n. 



io The Life of 

O noble English ! that could entertain 
With half their forces the full pride of France, 
And let another half stand laughing by, 113 

All out of work, and cold for action. 

Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, 
And with your puissant arm renew their feats : 
You are their heir, you sit upon their throne, 
The blood and courage that renowned them 
Runs in your veins ; and my thrice-puissant liege 
Is in the very May-morn of his youth, 120 

Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises. 

Exe. Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth 
Do all expect that you should rouse yourself, 
As did the former lions of your blood. 124 

West. They know your Grace hath cause and means 
and might; 
So hath your highness; never King of England 
Had nobles richer, and more loyal subjects, 
Whose hearts have left their bodies here in Eng- 
land 128 
And lie pavilion'd in the fields of France. 

Cant. O ! let their bodies follow, my dear liege, 
With blood and sword and fire to win your right; 
In aid whereof we of the spiritualty 132 

Will raise your highness such a mighty sum 
As never did the clergy at one time 
Bring in to any of your ancestors. 

K. Hen. We must not only arm to invade the 
French, 136 

But lay down our proportions to defend 
Against the Scot, who will make road upon us 

114 for: for want of 116 puissant: powerful 

120 May-morn of his youth; cf. n. 

126 So hath your highness; cf. n. #- 132 spiritualty: clergy 

137 lay . . . proportions: estimate the requisite number of troops 

138 road: inroad 



Henry the Fifth, I. it 1 1 

With all advantages. 

Cant. They of those marches, gracious sover- 
eign, 140 
Shall be a wall sufficient to defend 
Our inland from the pilfering borderers. 

K. Hen. We do not mean the coursing snatchers 
only, 
But fear the main intendment of the Scot, 144 

Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us; 
For you shall read that my great-grandfather 
Never went with his forces into France 
But that the Scot on his unfurnish'd kingdom 
Came pouring, like the tide into a breach, 149 

With ample and brim fulness of his force, 
Galling the gleaned land with hot assays, 
Girding with grievous siege castles and towns; 
That England, being empty of defence, 153 

Hath shook and trembled at the ill neighbourhood. 

Cant. She hath been then more fear'd than harm'd, 
my liege; 
For hear her but exampled by herself: 156 

When all her chivalry hath been in France 
And she a mourning widow of her nobles, 
She hath herself not only well defended, 
But taken and impounded as a stray 160 

The King of Scots; whom she did send to France, 
To fill King Edward's fame with prisoner kings, 
And make your chronicle as rich with praise 
As is the ooze and bottom of the sea 164 

With sunken wrack and sumless treasuries. 

West. But there's a saying very old and true; 

140 marches: borders 143 coursing snatchers: marauding pilferers 

144 intendment: intention 145 still : always giddy: unstable 

148 unfurnish'd: undefended 151 assays: attacks 

155 fear'd: frightened 160 impounded: imprisoned; cf. n. 
165 wrack: wreckage 



12 The Life of 

'If that you will France win, 
Then with Scotland first begin' : 168 

For once the eagle England being in prey, 
To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot 
Comes sneaking and so sucks her princely eggs, 
Playing the mouse in absence of the cat, 172 

To tear and havoc more than she can eat. 

Exe. It follows then the cat must stay at home: 
Yet that is but a crush'd necessity; 
Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries 176 

And pretty traps to catch the petty thieves. 
While that the armed hand doth fight abroad, 
The advised head defends itself at home: 
For government, though high and low and lower, 180 
Put into parts, doth keep in one consent, 
Congreeing in a full and natural close, 
Like music. 

Cant. Therefore doth heaven divide 

The state of man in divers functions, 184 

Setting endeavour in continual motion; 
To which is fixed, as an aim or butt, 
Obedience: for so work the honey-bees, 
Creatures that by a rule in nature teach 188 

The act of order to a peopled kingdom. 
They have a king and officers of sorts ; 
Where some, like magistrates, correct at home, 
Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad, 192 

Others, like, soldiers, armed in their stings, 
Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds; 
Which pillage they with merry march bring home 
To the tent-royal of their emperor: 196 

169 in prey: in search of prey 175 crush'd: forced 

181 parts: used in the musical sense consent: harmony 

182 Congreeing: agreeing close: cadence 

190 sorts: different ranks 194 Make boot upon: plunder 



Henry the Fifth, L ii 1 3 

Who, busied in his majesty, surveys 
The singing masons building roofs of gold, 
The civil citizens kneading up the honey, 
The poor mechanic porters crowding in 200 

Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate, 
The sad-ey'd justice, with his surly hum, 
Delivering o'er to executors pale 

The lazy yawning drone. I this infer, 204 

That many things, having full reference 
To one consent, may work contrariously ; 
As many arrows, loosed several ways, 
Come to one mark; as many ways meet in one 
town ; 208 

As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea; 
As many lines close in the dial's centre; 
So may a thousand actions, once afoot, 
End in one purpose, and be all well borne 212 

Without defeat. Therefore to France, my liege. 
Divide your happy England into four; 
Whereof take you one quarter into France, 
And you withal shall make all Gallia shake. 216 

If we, with thrice such powers left at home, 
Cannot defend our own doors from the dog, 
Let us be worried and our nation lose 
The name of hardiness and policy. 220 

K. Hen. Call in the messengers sent from the 
Dauphin. [Exit an Attendant.'] 

Now are we well resolv'd; and by God's help, 
And yours, the noble sinews of our power, 
France being ours, we'll bend it to our awe 224 

Or break it all to pieces : or there we'll sit, 
Ruling in large and ample empery 

199 civil: civilian 202 sad-ey'd: sober-looking 

203 executors: executioners 216 withal: therewith 

220 policy: political wisdom 226 empery: empire 



14 The Life of 

O'er France and all her almost kingly dukedoms, 
Or lay these bones in an unworthy urn, 228 . 

Tombless, with no remembrance over them: 
Either our history shall with full mouth 
Speak freely of our acts, or else our grave, 
Like Turkish mute, shall have a tongueless 
mouth, 232 

Not worshipp'd with a waxen epitaph. 

Enter Ambassadors of France. 

Now are we well prepar'd to know the pleasure 
Of our fair cousin Dauphin ; for we hear 
Your greeting is from him, not from the king. 

First Amb. May 't please your majesty to give us 
leave 237 

Freely to render what we have in charge; 
Or shall we sparingly show you far off 
The Dauphin's meaning and our embassy? 240 

K. Hen. We are no tyrant, but a Christian king; 
Unto whose grace our passion is as subject 
As are our wretches fetter'd in our prisons: 
Therefore with frank and with uncurbed plain- 
ness 244 
Tell us the Dauphin's mind. 

First Amb. Thus then, in few. 

Your highness, lately sending into France, 
Did claim some certain dukedoms, in the right 
Of your great predecessor, King Edward the 
Third. 248 

In answer of which claim, the prince our master 
Says that you savour too much of your youth, 
And bids you be advis'd there's nought in France 

231 freely: generously 

233 worshipp'd: honored waxen: perishable 

245 in few: briefly 251 be advis'd: con sider 



Henry the Fifth, 7. ii is 

That can be with a nimble galliard won; 252 

You cannot revel into dukedoms there. 

He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, 

This tun of treasure ; and, in lieu of this, 

Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim 256 

Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks. 

K. Hen. What treasure, uncle ? 

Exe. Tennis-balls, my liege. 

K. Hen. We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant 
with us: 
His present and your pains we thank you for : 
When we have match'd our rackets to these balls, 261 
We will in France, by God's grace, play a set 
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard. 
Tell him he hath made a match with such a 
wrangler 264 

That all the courts of France will be disturb'd 
With chaces. And we understand him well, 
How he comes o'er us with our wilder days, 
Not measuring what use we made of them. 268 

We never valu'd this poor seat of England; 
And therefore, living hence, did give ourself 
To barbarous licence; as 'tis ever common 
That men are merriest when they are from home. 272 
But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state, 
Be like a king and show my sail of greatness 
W T hen I do rouse me in my throne of France: 
For that I have laid by my majesty 276 

And plodded like a man for working-days, 
But I will rise there with so full a glory 
That I will dazzle all the eyes of France, 

252 galliard: a lively dance 254 meeter: more fitting 

255 tun: a cask in lieu of : in return for 

259 pleasant: facetiou s 263 hazard: part of a tennis-court 

266 chaces; cf. n. 267 comes o'er: taunts 

269 seat: throne 270 living hence; cf. n. 



16 The Life of 

Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us. 280 

And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his 
Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones ; and his soul 
Shall stand sore-charged for the wasteful vengeance 
That shall fly with them: for many a thousand 
widows 284 

Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands; 
Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down; 
And some are yet ungotten and unborn 
That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's 
scorn. 288 

But this lies all within the will of God, 
To whom I do appeal ; and in whose name 
Tell you the Dauphin I am coming on, 
To venge me as I may and to put forth 292 

My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause. 
So get you hence in peace ; and tell the Dauphin 
His jest will savour but of shallow wit 
When thousands weep more than did laugh at it. 296 
Convey them with safe conduct. Fare you well. 

Exeunt Ambassadors. 

Exe. This was a merry message. 

K. Hen. We hope to make the sender blush at it. 
Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour 300 

That may give furtherance to our expedition; 
For we have now no thought in us but France, 
Save those to God, that run before our business. 
Therefore let our proportions for these wars 304 

Be soon collected, and all things thought upon 
That may with reasonable swiftness add 
More feathers to our wings ; for, God before, 307 

We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door. 

282 gun-stones: cannon balls (originally made of stone) 

287 ungotten: not begotten 304 proportions: levies 

307 God before: with God's help 



Henry the Fifth, II. Chorus 17 

Therefore let every man now task his thought, 
That this fair action may on foot be brought. 

Exeunt. 



ACT SECOND 

Flourish. Enter Chorus. 

Now all the youth of England are on fire, 

And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies ; 

Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought 

Reigns solely in the breast of every man: 4 

They sell the pasture now to buy the horse, 

Following the mirror of all Christian kings, 

With winged heels, as English Mercuries. 

For now sits Expectation in the air 8 

And hides a sword from hilts unto the point 

With crowns imperial, crowns and coronets, 

Promis'd to Harry and his followers. 

The French, advis'd by good intelligence 12 

Of this most dreadful preparation, 

Shake in their fear, and with pale policy 

Seek to divert the English purposes. 

O England ! model to thy inward greatness, 16 

Like little body with a mighty heart, 

What mightst thou do, that honour would thee do, 

Were all thy children kind and natural ! 

But see thy fault ! France hath in thee found out 20 

A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills 

With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men, 

One, Richard Earl of Cambridge, and the second, 

Act Second S. d. Flourish: music of trumpets 

12 intelligence: reconnaissance 14 policy: trickery 

18 would: would have 19 kind: true to their kinship 

20 France: the king of France 22 crowns: crown-pieces, gold 



is The Life of 

Henry Lord Scroop of Masham, and the third, 

Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland, 

Have, for the gilt of France, — O guilt, indeed! — 

Confirm'd conspiracy with fearful France; 

And by their hands this grace of kings must die, — 28 

If hell and treason hold their promises, — 

Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton. 

Linger your patience on, and we'll digest 

The abuse of distance; force a play. 32 

The sum is paid; the traitors are agreed; 

The king is set from London ; and the scene 

Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton: 

There is the playhouse now, there must you sit: 

And thence to France shall we convey you safe, 

And bring you back, charming the narrow seas 

To give you gentle pass ; for, if we may, 

We'll not offend one stomach with our play. 40 

But, till the king come forth and not till then, 

Unto Southampton do we shift our scene. Exit. 



Scene One 

[London. A street] 

Enter Corporal Nym and Lieutenant Bardolph. 

Bard. Well met, Corporal Nym. 

Nym. Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph. 

Bard. What, are Ancient Pistol and you 
friends yet? 4 

Nym. For my part, I care not: I say little; 
but when time shall serve, there shall be smiles; 

26 gilt: gold 

28 grace of kings: he who does honor to the title of king 

31,32 Cf.n. 34 is set: has set out 39 pass: passage 

41, 42 Cf. n. 3 Ancient: Ensign 6 smiles; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, II. i 19 

but that shall be as it may. I dare not fight; 
but I will wink and hold out mine iron. It is a 
simple one; but what though? it will toast 
cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's 
sword will: and there's an end. 11 

Bard. I will bestow a breakfast to make you 
friends, and we'll be all three sworn brothers to 
France: let it be so, good Corporal Nym. 

Nym. Faith, I will live so long as I may, 
that's the certain of it; and when I cannot live 
any longer, I will do as I may: that is my rest, 
that is the rendezvous of it. 18 

Bard. It is certain, corporal, that he is 
married to Nell Quickly; and, certainly she did 
you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her. 21 

Nym. I cannot tell; things must be as they 
may: men may sleep, and they may have their 
throats about them at that time; and, some say, 
knives have edges. It must be as it may: though 
patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. 
There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell. 

Enter Pistol and [Hostess] Quickly. 

Bard. Here comes Ancient Pistol and his 
wife. Good corporal, be patient here. How 
now, mine host Pistol ! 
Pist. Base tike, call'st thou me host? 
Now, by this hand, I swear, I scorn the term ; 32 

Nor shall my Nell keep lodgers. 

Host. No, by my troth, not long; for we can- 
not lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentle- 
women that live honestly by the prick of their 

8 wink: shut my eyes 11 there's an end; cf. n. 

17 rest: resolve; cf. n. 18 rendezvous; cf. n. 

21 troth-plight: betrothed 31 tike: cur 



20 The Life of 

needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy- 
house straight. O well-a-day, Lady ! if 
he be not drawn now: we shall see wilful 
adultery and murder committed. 40 

Bard. Good lieutenant ! good corporal ! offer 
nothing here. 

Nym. Pish! 
Pist. Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-ear'd 
cur of Iceland ! 44 

Host. Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour 
and put up your sword. 

Nym. Will you shog off? I would have you 
solus. 

Pist. Solus, egregious dog? O viper vile! 
The solus in thy most mervailous face ; 
The solus in thy teeth, and in thy throat, 
And in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy maw, perdy ; 
And, which is worse, within thy nasty mouth ! 53 

I do retort the solus in thy bowels ; 
For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up, 
And flashing fire will follow. 56 

Nym. I am not Barbason; you cannot con- 
jure me. I have an humour to knock you in- 
differently well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, 
I will scour you with my rapier, as I may, in 
fair terms: if you would walk off, I would prick 
your guts a little, in good terms, as I may; and 
that's the humour of it. 

Pist. O braggart vile and damned furious 
wight ! 64 

The grave doth gape, and doting death is near; 
Therefore exhale. 

38 Lady: an oath by the Virgin Mary 44 Iceland dog; cf. n. 

47 shog: move 50 mervailous: marvelous 52 perdy: par Dieu 

55 take: take fire 57 Barbason: name of a fiend; cf. n. 

66 exhale : draw forth (thy sword) 



Henry the Fifth, II. i 21 

Bard. Hear me, hear me what I say: he that 
strikes the first stroke, I'll run him up to the 
hilts, as I am a soldier. [Draws. ] 

Pist. An oath of mickle might, and fury shall abate. 

Give me thy fist, thy fore-foot to me give; 

Thy spirits are most tall. 72 

Nym. I will cut thy throat, one time or other, 

in fair terms ; that is the humour of it. 
Pist. 'Couple a gorge!' 

That is the word. I thee defy again. 76 

hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get? 
No ; to the spital go, 

And from the powdering-tub of infamy 

Fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid's kind, 80 

Doll Tearsheet she by name, and her espouse: 

1 have, and I will hold, the quondam Quickly 
For the only she; and — pauca, there's enough. 
Go to. 

Enter the Boy. 

Boy. Mine host Pistol, you must come to my 
master, and your hostess: he is very sick, and 
would to bed. Good Bardolph, put thy face be- 
tween his sheets and do the office of a warming- 
pan. Faith, he's very ill. ss 

Bard. Away, you rogue ! 

Host. By my troth, he'll yield the crow a 
pudding one of these days. The king has killed 
his heart. Good husband, come home presently. 

Exit [with Boy]. 

Bard. Come, shall I make you two friends? 

70 mickle might: great weight 72 tall: valiant 

75 Couple a gorge: coupe la gorge 77 hound of Crete; cf. n. 

78 spital: hospital 79 powdering-tub; cf. n. 

80 the lazar kite of Cressid's kind; cf. n. 83 pauca: briefly 

86 thy face; cf. n. 92 presently: immediately 



22 The Life of 

We must to France together. Why the devil 
should we keep knives to cut one another's 
throats ? 96 

Pist. Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food 
howl on! 

Nym. You'll pay me the eight shillings I won 
of you at betting? 
Pist. Base is the slave that pays. 100 

Nym. That now I will have; that's the 
humour of it. 
Pist. As manhood shall compound: push home. 

Draw. 
Bard. By this sword, he that makes the first 
thrust, I'll kill him; by this sword, I will. 105 

Pist. Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their 
course. 

Bard. Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, 
be friends: an thou wilt not, why then, be ene- 
mies with me too. Prithee, put up. 109 

Nym. I shall have my eight shillings I won 
of you at betting? 

Pist. A noble shalt thou have, and present pay ; 
And liquor likewise will I give to thee, 113 

And friendship shall combine, and brotherhood: 
I'll live by Nym, and Nym shall live by me. 
Is not this just? for I shall sutler be 116 

Unto the camp, and profits will accrue. 
Give me thy hand. 

Nym. I shall have my noble? 
Pist. In cash most justly paid. 

Nym. Well then, that's the humour of it. 121 

103 compound: decide 107 an: if 

112 noble: 6s. Sd. 

116 sutler: one who sells provisions and liquor 



Henry the Fifth, II. ii 23 

Enter Hostess. 

Host. As ever you came of women, come in 
quickly to Sir John. Ah, poor heart! he is so 
shaked of a burning quotidian tertian, that it is 
most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to 
him. 

Nym. The king hath run bad humours on 
the knight ; that's the even of it. 128 

Pist. Nym, thou hast spoke the right; 
His heart is fracted and corroborate. 

Nym. The king is a good king: but it must 
be as it may; he passes some humours and 
careers. 133 

Pist. Let us condole the knight; for, lambkins, we 

will live. [Exeunt.] 

Scene Two 

[Southampton. A Council-chamber] 

Enter Exeter, Bedford, and Westmoreland. 

Bed. 'Fore God, his Grace is bold to trust these 
traitors. 

Exe. They shall be apprehended by and by. 

West. How smooth and even they do bear them- 
selves ! 
As if allegiance in their bosoms sat, 4 

Crowned with faith and constant loyalty. 

Bed. The king hath note of all that they intend, 
By interception which they dream not of. 

Exe. Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow, 

124 quotidian tertian; cf. n. 

128 the even of it; cf. 'the long and the short of it' 

130 fracted: broken corroborate; cf. n. 

133 careers; cf. n. 134 condole: sympathise with 

2 by and by : immediately 



24 The Life of 

Whom he hath dull'd and cloy'd with gracious 
favours, 9 

That he should, for a foreign purse, so sell 
His sovereign's life to death and treachery ! 

Sound trumpets. Enter the King, Scroop, Cambridge, 
and Grey [with Attendants]. 

K. Hen. Now sits the wind fair, and we will 

aboard. 12 

My Lord of Cambridge, and my kind Lord of 

Masham, 
And you, my gentle knight, give me your thoughts: 
Think you not that the powers we bear with us 
Will cut their passage through the force of 
France, 16 

Doing the execution and the act 
For which we have in head assembled them? 

Scroop. No doubt, my liege, if each man do his 

best. 
K. Hen. I doubt not that ; since we are well per- 
suaded 20 
We carry not a heart with us from hence 
That grows not in a fair consent with ours ; 
Nor leave not one behind that doth not wish 
Success and conquest to attend on us. 24 

Cam. Never was monarch better fear'd and lov'd 
Than is your majesty: there's not, I think, a subject 
That sits in heart-grief and uneasiness 
Under the sweet shade of your government. 28 

Grey. True: those that were your father's enemies 
Have steep'd their galls in honey, and do serve you 
With hearts create of duty and of zeal. 

K. Hen. We therefore have great cause of thank- 
fulness, 32 

15 powers: forces 18 in head: as an army 



Henry the Fifth, II. ii 25 

And shall forget the office of our hand, 
Sooner than quittance of desert and merit 
According to the weight and worthiness. 

Scroop. So service shall with steeled sinews 
toil, 36 

And labour shall refresh itself with hope, 
To do your Grace incessant services. 

K. Hen. We judge no less. Uncle of Exeter, 
JEnlarge_the man committed yesterday 40 

That rail'd against our person: we consider 
It was excess of wine that set him on; 
And on his more advice we pardon him. 

Scroop. That's mercy, but too much security: 
Let him be punish'd, sovereign, lest example 45 

Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind. 

K. Hen. O ! let us yet be merciful. 

Cam. So may your highness, and yet punish too. 48 

Grey. Sir, 
You show great mercy, if you give him life 
After the taste of much correction. 

K. Hen. Alas ! your too much love and care of 
me 52 

Are heavy orisons 'gainst this poor wretch. 
If little faults, proceeding on distemper, 
Shall not be wink'd at, how shall we stretch our eye 
When capital crimes, chew'd, swallow'd, and di- 
gested, 56 
Appear before us? We'll yet enlarge that man, 
Though Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey, in their dear 

care, 
And tender preservation of our person, 

34 quittance : reward _ 40 Enlarge: set free 

43 his more advice: his return to greater coolness of mind 
46 by his sufferance: because he is pardoned 

53 orisons: petitions 

54 proceeding on distemper: arising from drunkenness 



26 The Life of 

Would have him punish'd. And now to our French 
causes : 60 

Who are the late commissioners? 

Cam. I one, my lord: 
Your highness bade me ask for it to-day. 

Scroop. So did you me, my liege. 64 

Grey. And I, my royal sovereign. 

K. Hen. Then, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, there 
is yours; 
There yours, Lord Scroop of Masham; and, sir knight, 
Grey of Northumberland, this same is yours: 68 

Read them; and know, I know your worthiness. 
My Lord of Westmoreland, and uncle Exeter, 
We will aboard to-night. Why, how now, gentlemen ! 
What see you in those papers that you lose 72 

So much complexion ? Look ye, how they change ! 
Their cheeks are paper. Why, what read you there, 
That hath so cowarded and chas'd your blood 
Out of appearance? 

Cam. I do confess my fault, 76 

And do submit me to your highness' mercy. 

Grey. ) 

Scroop. ] To which we a11 a PP eah 

K. Hen. The mercy that was quick in us but late 
By your own counsel is suppress'd and kill'd: 80 

You must not dare, for shame, to talk of mercy; 
For your own reasons turn into your bosoms, 
As dogs upon their masters, worrying you. 
See you, my princes and my noble peers, 84 

These English monsters ! My Lord of Cambridge 

here, 
You know how apt our love was to accoxd 

61 the late commissioners: those lately commissioned 

63 it: i.e., his commission 79 quick: alive 

86 apt: ready accord: consent 



Henry the Fifth, II. ii 27 

To furnish him with all appertinents 
Belonging to his honour; and this man 88 

Hath, for a few light crowns, lightly conspir'd, 
And sworn unto the practices of France, 
To kill us here in Hampton: to the which 
This knight, no less for bounty bound to us 92 

Than Cambridge is, hath likewise sworn. But O ! 
What shall I say to thee, Lord Scroop? thou cruel, 
Ingrateful, savage and inhuman creature ! 
Thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels, 
That knew'st the very bottom of my soul, 97 

That almost mightst have coin'd me into gold 
Wouldst thou have practis'd on me for thy use ! 
May it be possible that foreign hire 100 

Could out of thee extract one spark of evil 
That might annoy my finger? 'tis so strange 
That, though the truth of it stands off as gross 
As black and white, my eye will scarcely see it. 
Treason and murder ever kept together, 105 

As two yoke-devils sworn to either' s purpose, 
Working so gro ssly in a natural cause 
That admiration did not whoop at them: 108 

But thou, 'gainst all proportion, didst bring in 
Wonder to wait on treason and on murder: 
And whatsoever cunning fiend it was 
That wrought upon thee so preposterously 112 

Hath got the voice in hell for excellence : 
And other devils that suggest by treasons 
Do botch and bungle up damnation 
With patches, colours, and with forms, being 
fetch'd 116 

90 unto the practices: in accord with the plots 

91 Hampton: Southampton 107 grossly: palpably 
108 admiration: wonder 109 proportion: seemliness 

112 preposterously: contrary to the natural order of things 

113 voice : verdict 114 suggest: seduce 



28 The Life of 

From glistering semblances of piety; 

But he that temper'd thee bade thee stand up, 

Gave thee no instance why thou shouldst do treason, 

Unless to dub thee with the name of traitor. 120 

If that same demon that hath gull'd thee thus 

Should with his lion gait walk the whole world, 

He might return to vasty Tartar back, 

And tell the legions, 'I can never win 124 

A soul so easy as that Englishman's.' 

O! how hast thou with jealousy infected 

The sweetness of affiance. Show men dutiful? 

Why, so didst thou : seem they grave and learned ? 128 

Why, so didst thou: come they of noble family? 

Why, so didst thou : seem they religious ? 

Why, so didst thou: or are they spare in diet, 

Free from gross passion or of mirth or anger, 132 

Constant in spirit, not swerving with the blood, 

Garnish'd and deck'd in modest complement, 

Not working with the eye without the ear, 

And but injaurged judgment trusting neither? 136 

Such and so finely bolted didst thou seem: 

And thus thy fall hath left a kind of blot, 

To mark the full-fraught man and best indu'd 

With some suspicion. I will weep for thee; 140 

For this revolt of thine, methinks, is like 

Another fall of man. Their faults are open: 

Arrest them to the answer of the law ; 

And God acquit them of their practices ! 144 

117 glistering: glittering 

118 temper'd: moulded (to his purpose) stand up; cf. n. 

119 instance: motive 123 Tartar: Tartarus (the classical hell) 
126 jealousy: suspicion 127 affiance: trust Show: appear 
133 blood: passion 134 complement: external appearance 

136 but in purged judgment: except after careful scrutiny 

137 bolted: sifted; i.e., tested 

139 full-fraught: fully laden (with virtues) best indu'd: most richly 

endowed 



Henry the Fifth, II. ii 29 

Exe. I arrest thee of high treason, by the 

name of Richard Earl of Cambridge. 

I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of 

Henry Lord Scroop of Masham. 148 

I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of 

Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland. 

Scroop. Our purposes God justly hath discover'd, 
And I repent my fault more than my death ; 152 

Which I beseech your highness to forgive, 
Although my body pay the price of it. 

n Cam. For me, the gold of France did not seduce, 
Although I did admit it as a motive 156 

The sooner to effect what I intended: 
But God be thanked for prevention; 
Which I in sufferance heartily will rejoice, 
Beseeching God and you to pardon me. 160 

Grey. Never did faithful subject more rejoice 
At the discovery of most dangerous treason 
Than I do at this hour joy o'er myself, 
Prevented from a damned enterprise. 164 

My fault, but not my body, pardon, sovereign. 

K. Hen. God quit you in his mercy ! Hear your 
sentence. 
You have conspir'd against our royal person, 
Join'd with an enemy proclaim'd, and from his 
coffers 168 

Receiv'd the golden earnest of our death ; 
Wherein you would have sold your king to slaughter, 
His princes and his peers to servitude, 
His subjects to oppression and contempt, 172 

And his whole kingdom into desolation. 
Touching our person seek we no revenge ; 

151 discover'd : revealed 155-157 Cf.n. 

159 in sufferance: while suffering the penalty 

166 quit: pardon 169 earnest: pledge money 



30 The Life of 

But we our kingdom's safety must so tender, 

Whose ruin you have sought, that to her laws 176 

We do deliver you. Get you therefore hence, 

Poor miserable wretches, to your death; 

The taste whereof, God of his mercy give 

You patience to endure, and true repentance 180 

Of all your dearjoffences ! Bear them hence. 

Exeunt [Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey, guarded]. 
Now, lords, for France ! the enterprise whereof 
Shall be to you, as us, like glorious. 
We doubt not of a fair and lucky war, 184 

Since God so graciously hath brought to light 
This dangerous treason lurking in our way 
To hinder our beginnings. We doubt not now 
But every rub is smoothed on our way. 188 

Then forth, dear countrymen: let us deliver 
Our puissance into the hand of God, 
Putting it straight in expedition. 

Cheerly to sea ! the signs of war advance : 192 

No king of England, if not king of France. 

Flourish. [Exeunt.] 



Scene Three 

[London. A street] 

Enter Pistol, Nym, Bardolph, Boy, and Hostess. 

Host. Prithee, honey-sweet husband, let me 
bring thee to Staines. 
Pist. No; for my manly heart doth yearn. 

175 tender: cherish 181 dear: grievous 

183 like: in equal degree 188 rub: obstacle 

191 straight: at once expedition: motion 

192 signs: standards advance: raise 

2 bring: accompany Staines: first stage on the road from London to 

Southampton 3 yearn: grieve 



Henry the Fifth, II. Hi 31 

Bardolph, be blithe; Nym, rouse thy vaunting 

veins ; 4 

Boy, bristle thy courage up; for Falstaff he is dead, 
And we must yearn therefore. 

Bard. Would I were with him, wheresome'er 
he is, either in heaven or in hell ! 8 

Host. Nay, sure, he's not in hell: he's in Ar- 
thur's bosom, if ever man went to Arthur's bo- 
som. A' made a finer end and went away an^it 
had been any christom child; a' parted even just 12 
between twelve and one, even at the turning o' 
the tide: for after I saw him fumble with the 
sheets and play with flowers and smile upon his 
fingers' ends, I knew there was but one way ; for 16 
his nose was as sharp as a pen, and a' babbled of 
green fields. 'How now, Sir John !' quoth I : 
'what, man ! be of good cheer.' So a' cried out 
'God, God, God !' three or four times : now 1, 20 
to comfort him, bid him a' should not think of 
God, I hoped there was no need to trouble him- 
self with any such thoughts yet. So a' bade me 
lay more clothes on his feet: I put my hand 24 
into the bed and felt them, and they were as 
cold as any stone; then I felt to his knees, and 
so upward, and upward, and all was as cold as 
any stone. 28 

Nym. They say he cried out of sack. 

Host. Ay, that a' did. 

Bard. And of women. 

Host. Nay, that a' did not. 32 

9 Arthur's bosom; cf. n. 11 A': he an: as if 

12 christom: not yet a month old 

17, 18 and a' babbled of green fields; cf. n. 

29 of: against sack: a white wine 



32 The Life of 

Boy. Yes, that a' did; and said they were 
devils incarnate. 

Host. A' could never abide carnation; 'twas 
a colour he never liked. 36 

Boy. A' said once, the devil would have him 
about women. 

Host. A' did in some sort, indeed, handle 
women; but then he was rheumatic, and talked 
of the whore of Babylon. 41 

Boy. Do you not remember a' saw a flea 
stick upon Bardolph's nose, and a' said it was 
a black soul burning in hell-fire? 44 

Bard. Well, the fuel is gone that maintained 
that fire: that's all the riches I got in his ser- 
vice. 

Nym. Shall we shog? the king will be gone 
from Southampton. 49 

Pist. Come, let's away. My love, give me thy lips. 
Look to my chattels and my moveables: 
Let senses rule, the word is, 'Pitch and pay'; 52 

Trust none; 

For oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer-cakes, 
And hold-fast is the only dog, my duck: 
Therefore, 'caveto' be thy counsellor. 56 

Go, clear thy crystals. Yoke-fellows in arms, 
Let us to France ; like horse-leeches, my boys, 
To suck, to suck, the very blood to suck! 

Boy. And that's but unwholesome food, 
they say. 61 

Pist. Touch her soft mouth, and march. 
Bard. Farewell, hostess. [Kissing her.] 

39 handle: talk of 40 rheumatic: error for 'lunatic' 

52 senses: prudence word: motto Pitch and pay: cash dozvn 

54 wafer-cakes: i.e., very fragile 56 caveto: beware 
57 clear thy crystals: dry your eyes (?) 



Henry the Fifth, II. iv 33 

Nym. I cannot kiss, that is the humour of 
it; but, adieu. 65 

Pist. Let housewifery appear: keep close, I 

thee command. 

Host. Farewell; adieu. Exeunt. 



Scene Four 

[France. An Apartment in the French King's 
Palace] 

Flourish. Enter the French King, the Dauphin, the 
Dukes of Berri and Bretagne [the Constable, 
and Others]. 

Fr. King. Thus comes the English with full power 
upon us; 
And more than carefully it us concerns 
To answer royally in our defences. 
Therefore the Dukes of Berri and Bretagne, 4 

Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth, 
And you, Prince Dauphin, with all swift dispatch, 
To line and new repair our towns of war 
With men of courage and with means defendant: 8 
For England his approaches makes as fierce 
As waters to the sucking of a gulf: 
It fits us then to be as provident 

As fear may teach us, out of late examples 12 

Left by the fatal and neglected English 
Upon our fields. 

Dau. My most redoubted father, 

It is most meet we arm us 'gainst the foe; 

66 housewifery: economy Scene Four S. d. Constable; cf. n. 

2 more than carefully: with more than common care 

7 line: strengthen 9 England.: the king of England 

10 gulf: whirlpool 13 fatal and neglected: fatally neglected 



34 The Life of 

For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom, — 
Though war nor no known quarrel were in ques- 
tion, — 17 
But that defences, musters, preparations, 
Should be maintain'd, assembled, and collected, 
As were a war in expectation. 20 
Therefore, I say 'tis meet we all go forth 
To view the sick and feeble parts of France : 
And let us do it with no show of fear; 
No, with no more than if we heard that England 
Were busied with a Whitsun morris-dance: " 1 ^ 25 
For, my good liege, she is so idly king'd, 
Her sceptre so fantastically borne 
By a vain, giddy, shallow, humorous youth, 28 
That fear attends her not. 

Con. O peace, Prince Dauphin ! 

You are too much mistaken in this king. 
Question your Grace the late ambassadors, 
With what great state he heard their embassy, 
How well supplied with noble counsellors, 33 

How modest in exception, and withal 
How terrible in constant resolution, 
And you shall find his vanities forespent 36 

Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus, 
Covering discretion with a coat of folly; 
As gardeners do with ordure hide those roots 
That shall first spring and be most delicate. 40 

Dau. Well, 'tis not so, my lord high constable; 
But though we think it so, it is no matter : 
In cases of defence 'tis best to weigh 
The enemy more mighty than he seems: 44 

So the proportions of defence are nll'd; 

25 Whitsun morris-dance; cf. n. 28 humorous: full of whims 

34 exception: offering objections 

36 forespent: past 37 Brutus; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, II. iv 35 

Which of a weak and niggardly projection 
Doth like a miser spoil his coat with scanting 
A little cloth. 

Fr. King. Think we King Harry strong; 4S 

And; princes, look you strongly arm to meet him. 
The kindred of him hath been flesh'd upon us, 
And he is bred out of that bloody strain 
That haunted us in our familiar paths: 52 

Witness our too much memorable shame 
When Cressy battle fatally was struck 
And all our princes captiv'd by the hand 
Of that black name, Edward Black Prince of 
Wales ; 56 

Whiles that his mountain sire, on mountain standing, 
Up in the air, crown'd with the golden sun, 
Saw his heroical seed, and smil'd to see him 
Mangle the work of nature, and deface 60 

The patterns that by God and by French fathers 
Had twenty years been made. This is a stem 
Of that victorious stock; and let us fear 
The native mightiness and fate of him. 64 

Enter a Messenger. 

Mess. Ambassadors from Harry King of England 
Do crave admittance to your majesty. 

Fr. King. We'll give them present audience. Go, 
and bring them. 

[Exeunt Messenger and certain Lords.'] 

You see this chase is hotly follow'd, friends. 68 

Dau. Turn head, and stop pursuit ; for coward dogs 

Most spend their mouths when what they seem to 

threaten 

46 projection: calculation SO been flesh'd: preyed; cf. n. 

57 mountain sire: mighty father 

64 fate: what he is destined to perform 67 present: immediate 



36 The Life of 

Runs far before them. Good my sovereign, 

Take up the English short, and let them know 

Of what a monarchy you are the head: 73 

Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin 

As self-neglecting. 

Enter Exeter [with Lords and train], 

Fr. King. From our brother of England? 

Exe. From him; and thus he greets your maj- 
esty. 76 
He wills you, in the name of God Almighty, 
That you divest yourself, and lay apart 
The borrow'd glories that by gift of heaven, 
By law of nature and of nations 'long 80 
To him and to his heirs ; namely, the crown 
And all wide-stretched honours that pertain 
By custom and the ordinance of times 
Unto the crown of France. That you may know 
'Tis no sinister nor no awkward claim, 85 
Pick'd from the worm-holes of long-vanish'd days, 
Nor from the dust of old oblivion rak'd, 
He sends you this most memorable line, 88 
In every branch truly demonstrative; 
Willing you overlook this pedigree ; 
And when you find him evenly _deriyji„. 
From his most fam'd of famous ancestors, 92 
Edward the Third, he bids you then resign 
Your crown and kingdom, indirectly held 
From him the native and true challenger. 

Fr. King. Or else what follows ? 96 

Exe. Bloody constraint; for if you hide the crov/n 
Even in your hearts, there will he rake for it: 

80 'long: belong 85 sinister: unfair awkward: perverse 

88 line: pedigree 91 evenly deriv'd: directly descended 

94 indirectly: wrongfully 



Henry the Fifth, II. iv 37 

Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming, 

In thunder and in earthquake like a Jove, 100 

That, if requiring fail, he will compel; 

And bids you, in the bowels of the Lord, 

Deliver up the crown, and to take mercy 

On the poor souls for whom this hungry war 104 

Opens his vasty jaws; and on your head 

Turning the widows' tears, the orphans' cries, 

The dead men's blood, the pining maidens' groans, 

For husbands, fathers, and betrothed lovers, 108 

That shall be swallow'd in this controversy. 

This is his claim, his threat'ning, and my message; 

Unless the Dauphin be in presence here, 

To whom expressly I bring greeting too. 112 

Fr. King. For us, we will consider of this further : 
To-morrow shall you bear our full intent 
Back to our brother of England. 

Dau. For the Dauphin, 

I stand here for him: what to him from Eng- 
land? 116 

Exe. Scorn and defiance, slight regard, contempt, 
And anything that may not misbecome 
The mighty sender, doth he prize you at. 
Thus says my king: an if your father's highness 120 
Do not, in grant of all demands at large, 
Sweeten the bitter mock you sent his majesty, 
He'll call you to so hot an answer of it, 
That caves and womby vaultages of France 124 

Shall chide your trespass and return your mock 
In second accent of his ordnance. 

Dau. Say, if my father render fair return, 
It is against my will; for I desire 128 

101 requiring: requesting 102 in the bowels: by the mercy 

124 womby vaultages: deep caverns 

126 second accent of his ordnance: echoes of his cannon 



38 The Life of 

Nothing but odds with England: to that end, 
As matching to his youth and vanity, 
I did present him with the Paris balls. 

Exe. He'll make your Paris Louvre shake for 
it, 132 

Were it the mistress-court of mighty Europe: 
And, be assur'd, you'll find a difference — 
As we his subjects have in wonder found — 
Between the promise of his greener days 136 

And these he masters now. Now he weighs time 
Even to the utmost grain ; that you shall read 
In your own losses, if he stay in France. 

Fr. King. To-morrow shall you know our mind at 
full. Flourish. 140 

Exe. Dispatch us with all speed, lest that our king 
Come here himself to question our delay ; 
For he is footed in this land already. 

Fr. King. You shall be soon dispatch'd with fair 
conditions : 144 

A night is but small fyreath and little pause 
To answer matters of this consequence. Exeunt. 



ACT THIRD 

Flourish. Enter Chorus. 

Thus with imagin'd wing our swift scene flies 

In motion of no less celerity 

Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen 

The well-appointed king at Hampton pier 4 

Embark his royalty; and his brayje fleet 

With silken streamers the young Phoebus fanning: 

129 odds: discord 136 greener: younger 

137 masters: possesses 145 breath: breathing space 

1 imagin'd wing: wings of imagination 5 brave: fine 



Henry the Fifth, III. 39 

Play with your fancies, and in them behold 
Upon the hempen tackle ship-boys climbing; 8 

Hear the shrill whistle which doth order give 
To sounds confus'd; behold the threaden sails, 
Borne with the invisible and creeping wind, 
Draw the huge bottoms through the furrow'd sea, 12 
Breasting the lofty surge. O ! do but think 
You stand upon the rivage and behold 
A city on the inconstant billows dancing; 
For so appears this fleet majestical, 16 

Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow ! 
Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy, 
And leave your England, as dead midnight still, 
Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, 20 
Either past or not arriv'd to pith and puissance: 
For who is he, whose chin is but enrich'd 
With one appearing hair, that will not follow 
Those cull'd and choice-drawn cavaliers to France ? 24 
Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege ; 
Behold the ordnance on their carriages, 
With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. 
Suppose the ambassador from the French comes 
back ; 28 

Tells Harry that the king doth offer him 
Katharine his daughter; and with her, to dowry, 
Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms: 
The offer likes not : and the nimble gunner 32 

With linstock now the devilish cannon touches, 

Alarum, and chambers go off. 
And down goes all before them. Still be kind, 
And eke out our performance with your mind. 

Exit. 

14 rivage: shore 18 to sternage : astern 27 girded : besieged 

32 likes: pleases 33 linstock: stick to hold the gunner's match 

S. d. Alarum: call to arms chambers: small cannon 



40 The Life of 

Scene One 

[France. Before Harfleur] 

Enter the King, Exeter, Bedford, and Gloucester. 
Alarum: scaling ladders. 

K. Hen. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, 
once more; 
Or close the wall up with our English dead! 
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man 
As modest stillness and humility: 4 

But when the blast of war blows in our ears, 
Then imitate the action of the tiger; 
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, 
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage; 8 

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; 
Let it pry through the portage of the head 
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it 
As fearfully as doth a galled rock 12 

O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, 
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean. 
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, 
Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit 
To his full height ! On, on, you noblest English ! 17 
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof; 
Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, 
Have in these parts from morn till even fought, 
And sheath'd their swords for lack of argument. 21 
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest 
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you. 
Be copy now to men of grosser blood, 24 

8 hard-favour'd : ugly 10 portage: porthole 

11 o'erwhelm: overhang 12 galled: undermined 

13 jutty: project beyond confounded: ruined 

14 Swill'd with: gulped down by 

18 fet: fetched war-proof : valor proven in war 

21 argument: subject of contention 24 copy: example 



Henry the Fifth, III. ii *i 

And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen, 
Whose limbs were made in England, show us here 
The mettle of your pasture ; let us swear 
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt 
not ; 28 

For there is none of you so mean and base 
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. 
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, 
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot: 32 

Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge 
Cry 'God for Harry, England,- and Saint George !' 

[Exeunt.] Alarum, and chambers go off. 

Scene Two 

[The Same] 

Enter Nym, Bardolph, Pistol, and Boy. 

Bard. On, on, on, on, on! to the breach, to 
the breach ! 

Nym. Pray thee, corporal, stay: the knocks 
are too hot; and for mine own part, I have not 4 
a case of lives : the humour of it is too hot, that 
is the very plain-song of it. 

Pist. The plain-song is most just, for hu- 
mours do abound: 8 
'Knocks go and come: God's vassals drop and die; 
And sword and shield 
In bloody field 
Doth win immortal fame.' 12 

Boy. Would I were in an alehouse in London ! 
I would give all my fame for a pot of ale, and 
safety. 

27 mettle of your pasture: quality of your rearing 

31 in the slips: in leash 3 corporal; cf. n. 

5 case: set 6 plain-song: simple truth; cf. n. 



42 The Life of 

Pist. And I: 16 

'If wishes would prevail with me, 
My purpose should not fail with me, 
But thither would I hie.' 
Boy. 'As duly, 20 

But not as truty, 
As bird doth sing on bough.' 

Enter Fluellen and beats them in. 

Flu. Up to the breach, you dogs ! avaunt, you cul- 

lions ! 
Pist. Be mercif ul, great duke, to men of mould ! 24 

Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage! 

Abate thy rage, great duke ! 

Good bawcock, bate thy rage ; use lenity, sweet chuck ! 
Nym. These be good humours ! your honour 
wins bad humours. 

. Exit [with Pistol and Bardolph]. 
Boy. [Aside."] As young as I am, I have ob- 
served these three swashers. I am boy to them 
all three, but all they three, though they would 
serve me, could not be man to me; for indeed 
three such antics do not amount to a man. For 34 
Bardolph, he is white-livered and red-faced; by 
the means whereof, a' faces it out, but fights not. 
For Pistol, he hath a killing tongue and a quiet 
sword; by the means whereof a' breaks words, 
and keeps whole weapons. For Nym, he hath 
heard that men of few words are the best men ; 40 
and therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest a' 
should be thought a coward : but his few bad words 

23 cullions: ivretches 

24 men of mould: men of earth; i.e., mere mortals 

27 bawcock, chuck: term s of endearment 31 swashers: braggarts 

34 antics: buffoons 



Henry the Fifth, III. ii 43 

are matched with as few good deeds ; for a' never 
broke any man's head but his own, and that was 44 
against a post when he was drunk. They will 
steal any thing and call it purchase. Bardolph 
stole a lute-case, bore it twelve leagues, and sold 
it for three half-pence. Nym and Bardolph are 48 
sworn brothers in filching, and in Calais they 
stole a fire-shovel: I knew by that piece of ser- 
vice the men would carry coals. They would 
have me as familiar with men's pockets as their 52 
gloves or their handkerchers : which makes 
much against my manhood if I should take 
from another's pocket to put into mine; for it is 
plain pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them 56 
and seek some better service: their villainy goes 
against my weak stomach, and therefore I must 
cast it up. Exit. 

Enter Gower. 

Gow. Captain Fluellen, you must come pre- 
sently to the mines: the Duke of Gloucester 
would speak with you. 62 

Flu. To the mines ! tell you the duke it is 
not so good to come to the mines. For look 
you, the mines is not according to the disciplines 
of the war ; the concavities of it is not sufficient ; 66 
for, look you, th' athversary — you may discuss 
unto the duke, look you — is digt himself four 
yard under the countermines; by Cheshu, I 
think, a' will plow up all if there is not better 
directions. 71 

Gow. The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the 

46 purchase: slang term for money gained by cheating 

51 carry coals: swallow insults 65 the mines is not; cf. n. 

67 discuss: explain 69 Cheshu: Jesu 



44 The Life of 

order of the siege is given, is altogether directed 
by an Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i' 
faith. 

Flu. It is Captain Macmorris, is it not? 76 

Gow. I think it be. 

Flu. By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world: 
I will verify as much in his beard: he has no 
more directions in the true disciplines of the 
wars, look you, of the Roman disciplines, than 
is a puppy-dog. 82 

Enter Macmorris and Captain Jamy. 

Gow. Here a' comes; and the Scots captain, 
Captain Jamy, with him. 

Flu. Captain Jamy is a marvellous falorous 
gentleman, that is certain ; and of great expedi- 86 
tion and knowledge in th' aunchient wars, upon 
my particular knowledge of his directions: by 
Cheshu, he will maintain his argument as well 
as any military man in the world, in the disci- 
plines of the pristine wars of the Romans. 91 

Jamy. I say gud day, Captain Fluellen. 

Flu. God-den to your worship, good Captain 
James. 

Gow. How now, Captain Macmorris ! have 
you quit the mines? have the pioners given o'er? 96 

Mac. By Chrish, la! tish ill done: the work 
ish give over, the trumpet sound the retreat. By 
my hand, I swear, and my father's soul, the 
work ish ill done; it ish give over: I would have 
blowed up the town, so Chrish save me, la ! in an 
hour : O ! tish ill done, tish ill done ; by my 
hand, tish ill done ! 103 

78 as: as great as any 93 God-den: good evening 

96 pioners: sappers 



Henry the Fifth, III. ii 45 

Flu. Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now, 
will you voutsafe me, look you, a few disputa- 
tions with you, as partly touching or concern- 
ing the disciplines of the war, the Roman wars, 
in the way of argument, look you, and friendly 
communication; partly to satisfy my opinion, 
and partly for the satisfaction, look you, of my 
mind, as touching the direction of the military 
discipline: that is the point. 112 

J amy. It sail be vary gud, gud feith, gud cap- 
tains bath: and I sail quit you with gud leve, 
as I may pick occasion; that sail I, marry. 

Mac. It is no time to discourse, so Chrish 
save me: the day is hot, and the weather, and 
the wars, and the king, and the dukes: it is no 
time to discourse. The town is beseeched, and 119 
the trumpet call us to the breach; and we talk, 
and be Chrish, do nothing: 'tis shame for us all; 
so God sa' me, 'tis shame to stand still; it is 
shame, by my hand; and there is throats to be 
cut, and works to be done; and there ish no- 
thing done, so Chrish sa' me, la ! 125 

Jamy. By the mess, ere theise eyes of mine 
take themselves to slumber, aile do gud service, 
or aile lig i' the grund for it ; ay, or go to death ; 
and aile pay 't as valorously as I may, that 
sal I suerly do, that is the breff and the long. 
Marry, I wad full fain heard some question 
'tween you Jtway. 132 

Flu. Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, 
under your correction, there is not many of 
your nation — 135 

115 marry: originally an oath by the Virgin Mary 

119 beseeched: i.e., besieged 122 sa' : save 

126 mess: Mass 128 lig: lie 132 tway: two 



46 The Life of 

Mac. Of my nation ! What ish my nation ? 
ish a villain, and a bastard, and a knave, and a 
rascal? What ish my nation? Who talks of 
my nation? 139 

Flu. Look you, if you take the matter other- 
wise than is meant, Captain Macmorris, per- 
adventure I shall think you do not use me with 
that affability as in discretion you ought to use 
me, look you ; being as good a man as yourself, 
both in the disciplines of war, and in the deriva- 
tion of my birth, and in other particularities. 146 

Mac. I do not know you so good a man as 
myself: so Chrish save me, I will cut off your 
head. 149 

Gow. Gentlemen both, you will mistake each 
other. 

J amy. A ! that's a foul fault. A parley. 

Gow. The town sounds a parley. 153 

Flu. Captain Macmorris, when there is more 
better opportunity to be required, look you, I 
will be so bold as to tell you I know the disci- 
plines of war; and there is an end. 

Exit [with Gower and the other captains]. 



Scene Three 

[Before the Gates of Harfleur] 

[The Governor and some Citizens on the walls; the 
English forces below.] Enter the King and all 
/his Train before the gates. 

K. Hen. How yet resolves the governor of the 
town? 



'/ 



136-139 Of my . . . nation; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, III. Hi 47 

This is the latest parle we will admit: 

Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves; 

Or like to men proud of destruction 4 

Defy us to our worst: for, as I am a soldier, — 

A name that in my thoughts becomes me best, — 

If I begin the battery once again, 

1 will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur 8 
Till in her ashes she lie buried. 

The gates of mercy shall be all shut up, 

And the flesh'd soldier, rough and hard of heart, 

In liberty of bloody hand shall range 12 

With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass 

Your fresh-fair virgins and your flowering infants. 

What is it then to me, if impious war, 

Array'd in flames like to the prince of fiends, 16 

Do, with his smirch'd complexion, all fell feats 

Enlink'd to waste and desolation? 

What is 't to me, when you yourselves are cause, 

If your pure maidens fall into the hand 20 

Of hot and forcing violation? 

What rein can hold licentious wickedness 

When down the hill he holds his fierce career? 

We may as bootless spend our vain command 

Upon the enraged soldiers in their spoil 25 

As send precepts to the leviathan 

To come ashore. Therefore, you men of Harfleur, 

Take pity of your town and of your people, 28 

Whiles yet my soldiers are in my command; 

Whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace 

O'erblows the filthy and contagious clouds 

Of heady murder, spoil, and villainy. 32 

2 parle: parley 11 flesh'd: hardened by bloodshed 
17 fell feats: savage practices 18 Enlink'd to: associated with 
24 bootless: uselessly 31 O'erblows: blows away 
32 heady: headstrong 



48 The Life of 

If not, why, in a moment, look to see 

The blind and bloody soldier with foul hand 

Defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters ; 

Your fathers taken by the silver beards, 36 

And their most reverend heads dash'd to the walls ; 

Your naked infants spitted upon pikes, 

Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confus'd 

Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry 

At Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen. 41 

What say you? will you yield, and this avoid? 

Or, guilty in defence, be thus destroy'd? 

Gov. Our expectation hath this day an end. 
The Dauphin, whom of succour we entreated, 45 

Returns us that his powers are yet not ready 
To raise so great a siege. Therefore, great king, 
We yield our town and lives to thy soft mercy. 
Enter our gates ; dispose of us and ours ; 49 

For we no longer are defensible. 

K. Hen. Open your gates ! Come, uncle Exeter, 
Go you and enter Harfleur; there remain, 52 

And fortify it strongly 'gainst the French: 
Use mercy to them all. For us, dear uncle, 
The winter coming on and sickness growing 
Upon our soldiers, we will retire to Calais. 56 

To-night in Harfleur will we be your guest; 
To-morrow for the march are we addrest. 

Flourish, and enter the town. 

40 Jewry: Judea; cf. St. Matthew 2. 16-18. 45 of: for 

46 "Returns: answers 50 defensible: capable of resisting 

58 addrest: prepared 



Henry the Fifth, III. iv 49 

Scene Four 

[The French King's Palace] 

Enter Katharine and [Alice,] an old gentlewoman. 

Kath. Alice, tu as ete en Angleterre, et tu 
paries bien le langage. 

Alice. Un peu, madame. 3 

Kath. Je te prie, m'enseignez ; il faut que 
j'apprenne a parler. Comment appelez-vous la 
main en anglais? 

Alice. La main? elle est appelee, de hand. 

Kath. De hand. Et les doigts? 8 

Alice. Les doigts? ma foi, j'oublie les 
doigts; mais je me souviendrai. Les doigts? 
je pense qu'ils sont appeles de fingres; oui, de 
fingres. 12 

Kath. La main, de hand; les doigts, de 
fingres. Je pense que je suis le bon ecolier; 
j'ai gagne deux mots d'anglais vitement. 
Comment appelez-vous les ongles? 16 

Alice. Les ongles? nous les appelons, de nails. 

Kath. De nails. ficoutez; dites-moi, si je 
parle bien: de hands, de fingres, et de nails. 

Alice. C'est bien dit, madame; il est fort 
bon anglais. 21 

Kath. Dites-moi l'anglais pour le bras. 

Alice. De arm, madame. 

Kath. Et le coude? 24 

Alice. De elbow. 

Kath. De elbow. Je m'en fais la repetition 
de tous les mots que vous m'avez appris des a 
present. 28 

Alice. II est trop difficile, madame, comme je 
pense. 



so The Life of 

Kath. Excusez-moi, Alice ; ecoutez : de hand, 
de fingres, de nails, de arraa, de bilbow. 32 

Alice. De elbow, madame. 

Kath. O Seigneur Dieu ! je m'en oublie; de 
elbow. Comment appelez-vous le col? 

Alice. De nick, madame. 36 

Kath. De nick. Et le menton? 

Alice. De chin. 

Kath. De sin. Le col, de nick: le menton, de 
sin. 40 

Alice. Oui. Sauf votre honneur, en verite, 
vous prononcez les mots aussi droit que les 
natifs d'Angleterre. 

Kath. Je ne doute point d'apprendre, par la 
grace de Dieu, et en peu de temps. 45 

Alice. N'avez-vous pas deja oublie ce que je 
vous ai enseigne? 

Kath. Non, je reciterai a vous promptement: 
De hand, de fingre, de mails, — 49 

Alice. De nails, madame. 

Kath. De nails, de arme, de ilbow. 

Alice. Sauf votre honneur, de elbow. 52 

Kath. Ainsi dis-je; de elbow, de nick, et de 
sin. Comment appelez-vous le pied et la robe? 

Alice. De foot, madame; et de coun. 55 

Kath. De foot, et de coun? O Seigneur 
Dieu! ce sont mots de son mauvais, corruptible, 
gros, et impudique, et non pour les dames 
d'honneur d'user: je ne voudrais prononcer 
ces mots devant les seigneurs de France, pour 
tout le monde. Foh ! le foot, et le coun. Nean- 
moins je reciterai une autre fois ma lecon 
ensemble: de hand, de fingre, de nails, de arm, 
de elbow, de nick, de sin, de foot, de coun. 64 



Henry the Fifth, III. v 5 1 

Alice. Excellent, madame ! 
Kath. C'est assez pour une fois: allons-nous 
a diner. Exit [with Alice"]. 

Scene Five 

[Rouen] 

Enter the King of France, the Dauphin, [Duke of 
Bourbon,] the Constable of France, and Others. 

Fr. King. 'Tis certain, he hath pass'd the river 
Somme. 

Con. And if he be not fought withal, my lord, 
Let us not live in France ; let us quit all, 
And give our vineyards to a barbarous people. 4 

Dau. O Dieu vivant ! shall a few sprays of us, 
The emptying of our fathers' luxury, 
Our scions, put in wild and savage stock, 
Spirt up so suddenly into the clouds, 8 

And overlook their grafters? 

Bour. Normans, but bastard Normans, Norman 
bastards ! 
Mort de ma vie ! if they march along 
Unfought withal, but I will sell my dukedom, 12 
To buy a slobbery and a dirty farm 
In that nook-shotten isle of Albion. 

Con. Dieu de batailles ! where have they this 
mettle ? 
Is not their climate foggy, raw, and dull, 16 

On whom, as in despite, the sun looks pale, 
Killing their fruit with frowns? Can sodden water, 
A drench for sur-rein'd jades, their barley-broth, 

5 sprays: branches 6 emptying: issue luxury: lust 

7 scions; cf. n. 9 overlook: rise above 12 but; cf. n. 

14 nook-shotten: running out into promontories 

19 drench: bran and water sur-rein'd jades: over-ridden horses 

barley-broth: beer 



52 The Life of 

Decoct their cold blood to such valiant heat? 20 

And shall our quick blood, spirited with wine, 
Seem frosty ? O ! for honour of our land, 
Let us not hang like roping icicles 
Upon our houses' thatch, whiles a more frosty- 
people 24 
Sweat drops of gallant youth in our rich fields ; 
Poor we may call them in their native lords. 

Dau. By faith and honour, 
Our madams mock at us, and plainly say 28 

Our mettle is bred out ; and they will give 
Their bodies to the lust of English youth 
To new-store France with bastard warriors. 

Bour. They bid us to the English dancing- 
schools, 32 
And teach lavoltas high and swift corantos; 
Saying our grace is only in our heels, 
And that we are most lofty runaways. 

Fr. King. Where is Montj oy the herald ? speed him 
hence : 36 

Let him greet England with our sharp defiance. 
Up, princes ! and, with spirit of honour edg'd 
More sharper than your swords, hie to the field: 
Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France; 40 
You Dukes of Orleans, Bourbon, and of Berri, 
Alencon, Brabant, Bar, and Burgundy; 
Jaques Chatillon, Rambures, Vaudemont, 
Beaumont, Grandpre, Roussi, and Fauconberg, 
Foix, Lestrale, Bouciqualt, and Charolois; 45 

High dukes, great princes, barons, lords, and knights, 
For your great seats now quit you of great shames. 
Bar Harry England, that sweeps through our land 

20 Decoct: warm _ _ 23 roping: dripping 

33 lavoltas, corantos: the names of certain lively dances 
36 Mont joy; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, III. vi 53 

With pennons painted in the blood of Harfleur: 

Rush on his host, as doth the melted snow 

Upon the valleys, whose low vassal seat 

The Alps doth spit and void his rheum upon: 52 

Go down upon him, you have power enough, 

And in a captive chariot into Roan 

Bring him our prisoner. 

Con. This becomes the great. 

Sorry am I his numbers are so few, 56 

His soldiers sick and famish'd in their march, 
For I am sure when he shall see our army 
He'll drop his heart into the sink of fear, 
And for achievement offer us his ransom. 60 

Fr. King. Therefore, lord constable, haste on Mont- 
joy, 
And let him say to England that we send 
To know what willing ransom he will give. 
Prince Dauphin, you shall stay with us in Roan. 

Dau. Not so, I do beseech your majesty. 65 

Fr. King. Be patient, for you shall remain with us. 
Now forth, lord constable and princes all, 
And quickly bring us word of England's fall. 68 

Exeun 

Scene Six 

[The English Camp in JPicardy~\ 

Enter Captains, English and Welch, Gower and 
Fluellen. 

Gow. How now, Captain Fluellen ! come you 
from the bridge? 

Flu. I assure you, there is very excellent 
services committed at the pridge. 4 

52 void his rheum: discharge his mucus 54 Roan: Rouen 

60 for: instead of Scene Six S. d. English and Welch; cf. n. 




54 The Life of 

Gow. Is the Duke of Exeter safe? 

Flu. The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous 
as Agamemnon; and a man that I love and 
honour with my soul, and my heart, and my 
duty, and my life, and my living, and my utter- 
most power: he is not — God be praised and 
plessed! — any hurt in the world; but keeps then 
pridge most valiantly, with excellent discipline. 
There is an aunchient lieutenant there at the 
pridge, I think, in my very conscience, he is as 
valiant a man as Mark Antony; and he is a man 
of no estimation in the world; but I did see him 
do as gallant service. 17 

Gow. What do you call him ? 

Flu. He is called Aunchient Pistol. 

Gow. I know him not. 20 

Enter Pistol. 

Flu. Here is the man. 
Pist. Captain, I thee beseech to do me favours: 

The Duke of Exeter doth love thee well. 

Flu. Ay, I praise God; and I have merited 
some love at his hands. 25 

Pist. Bardolph, a soldier firm and sound of heart, 

And of buxom valour, hath, by cruel fate 

And giddy Fortune's furious fickle wheel, 28 

That goddess blind, 

That stands upon the rolling restless stone, — 

Flu. By your patience, Aunchient Pistol. For- 
tune is painted plind, with a muffler afore her 
eyes, to signify to you that Fortune is plind: and 
she is painted also with a wheel, to signify to 34 
you, which is the moral of it, that she is turning, 

13 aunchient lieutenant; cf. n. 27 buxom: brisk 



Henry the Fifth, III. vi 55 

and inconstant, and mutability, and variation: 
and her foot, look you, is fixed upon a spherical 
stone, which rolls, and rolls, and rolls: in good 
truth, the poet makes a most excellent descrip- 
tion of it: Fortune is an excellent moral. 40 
Pist. Fortune is Bardolph's foe, and frowns on 
him; 
For he hath stol'n a pax, and hanged must a' be, 
A damned death ! 

Let gallows gape for dog, let man go free 44 

And let not hemp his wind-pipe suffocate. 
But Exeter hath given the doom of death 
For pax of little price. 

Therefore, go speak ; the duke will hear thy voice ; 48 
And let not Bardolph's vital thread be cut 
With edge of penny cord and vile reproach: 
Speak, captain, for his life, and I will thee requite. 
Flu. Aunchient Pistol, I do partly under- 
stand your meaning. 53 
Pist. Why then, rejoice therefore. 

Flu. Certainly, aunchient, it is not a thing to 
rejoice at; for, if, look you, he were my brother, 
I would desire the duke to use his good pleasure 
and put him to execution; for discipline ought 
to be used. 

Pist. Die and be damn'd; and figo for thy friend- 
ship ! 60 
Flu. It is well. 
Pist. The fig of Spain! Exit. 
Flu. Very good. 

Gow. Why, this is an arrant counterfeit 
rascal: I remember him now; a bawd, a cut- 
purse. 66 

42 pax; cf. n. 60 figo: a fig 62 The fig of Spain; cf. n. 



56 The Life of 

Flu. I'll assure you a' uttered as prave 
words at the pridge as you shall see in a sum- 
mer's day. But it is very well; what he has 
spoke to me, that is well, I warrant you, when 
time is serve. 71 

Gow. Why, 'tis a gull, a fool, a rogue, that 
now and then goes to the wars to grace himself 
at his return into London under the form of a 
soldier. And such fellows are perfect in the 75 
great commanders' names, and they will learn 
you by rote where services were done; at such 
and such a sconce, at such a breach, at such a 
convoy; who came off bravely, who was shot, 
who disgraced, what terms the enemy stood on ; 80 
and this they con perfectly in the phrase of war, 
which they trick up with new-tuned oaths: and 
what a beard of the general's cut and a horrid 
suit of the camp will do among foaming bottles 84 
and ale-washed wits, is wonderful to be thought 
on. But you must learn to know such slanders 
of the age, or else you may be marvellously 
mistook. 88 

Flu. I tell you what, Captain Gower; I do 
perceive, he is not the man that he would gladly 
make show to the world he is : if I find a hole in 
his coat I will tell him my mind. [Drum heard.'] 
Hark you, the king is coming; and I must 
speak with him from the pridge. 

Drum and Colours. Enter the King, [Gloucester,] 
and his poor Soldiers. 

Flu. God pless your majesty! 

72 gull: cheat 78 sconce: small fort 

80 stood on: insisted on 94 from: with news from 



Henry the Fifth, III. vi 57 

K. Hen. How now, Fluellen ! cam'st thou from the 
bridge ? 96 

Flu. Ay, so please your majesty. The Duke 
of Exeter hath very gallantly maintained the 
pridge : the French is gone off, look you, and there 
is gallant and most prave passages. Marry, th' 100 
athversary was have possession of the pridge, 
but he is enforced to retire, and the Duke of 
Exeter is master of the pridge. I can tell your 
majesty the duke is a prave man. 104 

K. Hen. What men have you lost, Fluellen ? 
Flu. The perdition of th' athversary hath been 
very great, reasonable great: marry, for my 
part, I think the duke hath lost never a man but 
one that is like to be executed for robbing a 109 
church; one Bardolph, if your majesty know the 
man: his face is all bubukles, and whelks, and 
knobs, and flames o' fire; and his lips blows at 
his nose, and it is like a coal of fire, sometimes 
plue and sometimes red; but his nose is exe- 
cuted, and his fire's out. 115 

K. Hen. We would have all such offenders so 
cut off: and we give express charge that in our 
marches through the country there be nothing 
compelled from the villages, nothing taken but 
paid for, none of the French upbraided or 
abused in disdainful language; for when lenity 
and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentler 
gamester is the soonest winner. 

Tucket. Enter Montjoy. 

Mont. You know me by my habit. 124 

100 passages: deeds 106 perdition: losses 

111 bubukles: carbuncles whelks: boils 

123 S. d. Tucket: trumpet signal 124 habit: herald's coat 



58 The Life of 

K. Hen. Well then I know thee : what shall I 
know of thee? 

Mont. My master's mind. 

K. Hen. Unfold it. 127 

Mont. Thus says my king: Say thou to Harry 
of England: Though we seemed dead, we did but 
sleep: advantage is a better soldier than rash- 
ness. Tell him, we could have rebuked him at 
Harfleur, but that we thought not good to bruise 
an injury till it were full ripe: now we speak 133 
upon our cue, and our voice is imperial: England 
shall repent his folly, see his weakness, and ad- 
mire our sufferance. Bid him therefore consider 
of his ransom; which must proportion the losses 
we have borne, the subjects we have lost, the 
disgrace we have digested ; which, in weight to 139 
re-answer, his pettiness would bow under. For 
our losses, his exchequer is too poor; for the 
effusion of our blood, the muster of his kingdom 
too faint a number; and for our disgrace, his 
own person, kneeling at our feet, but a weak and 
worthless satisfaction. To this add defiance: and 
tell him, for conclusion, he hath betrayed his 
followers, whose condemnation is pronounced. 
So far my king and master, so much my office. 
K. Hen. What is thy name ? I know thy qual- 
ity. 149 
Mont. Montjoy. 

K. Hen. Thou dost thy office fairly. Turn thee 
back, 
And tell thy king I do not seek him now, 152 

But could be willing to march on to Calais 

125 of: from 134 upon our cue: mi proper time 

140 re-answer: at one for 149 quality: profession 



Henry the Fifth, III. vi 59 

Without impeachment; for, to say the sooth, — 

Though 'tis no wisdom to confess so much 

Unto an enemy of craft and vantage, — 156 

My people are with sickness much enfeebled, 

My numbers lessen'd, and those few I have 

Almost no better than so many French: 

Who, when they were in health, I tell thee, herald, 160 

I thought upon one pair of English legs 

Did march three Frenchmen. Yet, forgive me, God, 

That I do brag thus ! this j^our air of France 

Hath blown that vice in me; I must repent. 164 

Go therefore, tell thy master here I am: 

My ransom is this frail and worthless trunk, 

My army but a weak and sickly guard; 

Yet, God before, tell him we will come on, 168 

Though France himself and such another neighbour 

Stand in our way. There's for thy labour, Montjoy. 

Go, bid thy master well advise himself: 

If we may pass, we will; if we be hinder' d, 172 

We shall your tawny ground with your red blood 

Discolour: and so, Montjoy, fare you well. 

The sum of all our answer is but this: 

We would not seek a battle as we are; 176 

Nor, as we are, we say we will not shun it: 

So tell your master. 

Mont. I shall deliver so. Thanks to your highness. 

[Exit] 
Glo. I hope they will not come upon us now. 180 
K. Hen. We are in God's hand, brother, not in 
theirs. 
March to the bridge; it now draws toward night: 

154 impeachment: hindrance _ sooth: truth 

156 of vantage: favored by circumstances 

164 blown: propagated 179 deliver: report 



60 The Life of 

Beyond the river we'll encamp ourselves, 
And on to-morrow bid them march away. 184 

Exeunt. 

Scene Seven 

[The French Camp, near Agincourt] 

Enter the Constable of France, the Lord Rambures, 
[the Duke of] Orleans, [the] Dauphin, with 
Others. 

Con. Tut! I have the best armour of the 
world. Would it were day! 

Orl. You have an excellent armour; but let 
my horse have his due. 4 

Con. It is the best horse of Europe. 

Orl. Will it never be morning? 

Dau. My Lord of Orleans, and my lord high 
constable, you talk of horse and armour — 8 

Orl. You are as well provided of both as any 
prince in the world. 

Dau. What a long night is this ! I will not 
change my horse with any that treads but on 12 
four pasterns. Qa, ha! He bounds from the 
earth as if his entrails were hairs: le cheval 
volant, the Pegasus, chez les narines de feu ! 
When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he 16 
trots the air; the earth sings when he touches 
it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical 
than the pipe of Hermes. 

Orl. He's of the colour of the nutmeg. 20 

Dau. And of the heat of the ginger. It is a 
beast for Perseus: he is pure air and fire; and 
the dull elements of earth and water never 

14 as if . . . hairs: i.e., as if he were a tennis ball; cf. n. 

15 chez: i.e., with 19 pipe of Hermes; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, III. vii 61 

appear in him but only in patient stillness while 24 
his rider mounts him: he is indeed a horse; and 
all other jades you may call beasts. 

Con. Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute 
and excellent horse. 28 

Dau. It is the prince of palfreys; his neigh 
is like the bidding of a monarch and his counte- 
nance enforces homage. 

Orl. No more, cousin. 32 

Dau. Nay, the man hath no wit that cannot, 
from the rising of the lark to the lodging of the 
lamb, vary deserved praise on my palfrey: it is 
a theme as fluent as the sea ; turn the sands into 36 
eloquent tongues, and my horse is argument for 
them all. 'Tis a subject for a sovereign to rea- 
son on, and for a sovereign's sovereign to ride 
on ; and for the world — familiar to us, and 40 
unknown — to lay apart their particular func- 
tions and wonder at him. I once writ a son- 
net in his praise and began thus: 'Wonder of 
nature !' — 44 

Orl. I have heard a sonnet begin so to one's 
mistress. 

Dau. Then did they imitate that which I 
composed to my courser; for my horse is my 
mistress. 49 

Orl. Your mistress bears well. 

Dau. Me well; which is the prescript praise 
and perfection of a good and particular mis- 
tress. 53 

Con. Nay, for methought yesterday your mis- 
tress shrewdly shook your back. 

27 absolute: perfect 34 lodging: lying down 

37 argument: theme 51 prescript: prescribed 

55 shrewdly: viciously 



62 The Life of 

Dau. So perhaps did yours. 56 

Con. Mine was not bridled. 

Dau. O! then belike she was old and gentle; 
and you rode, like a kern of Ireland, your French 
hose off and in your straight strossers. 60 

Con. You have good judgment in horseman- 
ship. 

Dau. Be warned by me, then: they that ride 
so, and ride not warily, fall into foul bogs. I 
had rather have my horse to my mistress. 65 

Con. I had as lief have my mistress a jade. 

Dau. I tell thee, constable, my mistress wears 
his own hair. 68 

Con. I could make as true a boast as that if I 
had a sow to my mistress. 

Dau. 'Le chien est retourne a son propre 
vomissement, et la truie lavee au bourbier': thou 
makest use of any thing. 73 

Con. Yet do I not use my horse for my mis- 
tress: or any such proverb so little kin to the 
purpose. 76 

Ram. My lord constable, the armour that I 
saw in your tent to-night, are those stars or 
suns upon it? 

Con. Stars, my lord. 80 

Dau. Some of them will fall to-morrow, I 
hope. 

Con. And yet my sky shall not want. 

Dau. That may be, for you bear a many 
superfluously, and 'twere more honour some 
were away. 86 

Con. Even as your horse bears your praises; 

59 kern: light-armed Irish soldier 59, 60 French hose: wide breeches 

60 straight strossers: tight trousers 65 to: as 
71, 72 Cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, III. vii 63 

who would trot as well were some of your brags 
dismounted. 89 

Dau. Would I were able to load him with his 
desert! Will it never be day? I will trot to- 
morrow a mile, and my way shall be paved with 
English faces. 93 

Con. I will not say so for fear I should be 
faced out of my way. But I would it were 
morning, for I would fain be about the ears of 
the English. 97 

Ram. Who will go to hazard with me for 
twenty prisoners? 

Con. You must first go yourself to hazard, 
ere you have them. 101 

Dau. 'Tis midnight: I'll go arm myself. Exit. 

Orl. The Dauphin longs for morning. 

Ram. He longs to eat the English. 104 

Con. I think he will eat all he kills. 

Orl. By the white hand of my lady, he's a 
gallant prince. 

Con. Swear by her foot, that she may tread 
out the oath. 109 

Orl. He is simply the most active gentleman 
of France. 

Con. Doing is activity, and he will still be 
doing. 113 

Orl. He never did harm, that I heard of. 

Con. Nor will do none to-morrow: he will 
keep that good name still. 116 

Orl. I know him to be valiant. 

Con. I was told that by one that knows him 
better than you. 

Orl. What's he? 120 

95 faced out of my way: outfaced (put to shame} 
98 go to hazard: throw at dice; cf. n. 



64 The Life of 

Con. Marry, he told me so himself; and he 
said he cared not who knew it. 

Orl. He needs not; it is no hidden virtue 
in him. i 124 

Con. By my faith, sir, but it is; never any- 
body saw it but his lackey: 'tis a hooded valour; 
and when it appears, it will bate. 

Orl. 'Ill will never said well.' 128 

Con. I will cap that proverb with 'There is 
flattery in friendship.' 

Orl. And I will take up that with 'Give the 
devil his due.' 132 

Con. Well placed: there stands your friend 
for the devil: have at the very eye of that 
proverb, with 'A pox of the devil.' 

Orl. You are the better at proverbs, by how 
much 'A fool's bolt is soon shot.' 137 

Con. You have shot over. 

Orl. 'Tis not the first time you were overshot. 

Enter a Messenger. 

Mess. My lord high constable, the English lie 
within fifteen hundred paces of your tents. 141 

Con. Who hath measured the ground? 

Mess. The Lord Grandpre. 

Con. A valiant and most expert gentleman. 
Would it were day ! Alas ! poor Harry of Eng- 
land, he longs not for the dawning as we do. 146 

Orl. What a wretched and peevish fellow is 
this King of England, to mope with his fat- 
brained followers so far out of his knowledge! 

126 'tis a hooded valour; cf. n. 

139 overshot: beaten at shooting (with a pun on 'drunk') 

147 peevish: foolish 149 out . . . knowledge: beyond his depth 



Henry the Fifth, III. vii 65 

Con. If the English had any apprehension 
they would run away. 151 

Orl. That they lack; for if their heads had 
any intellectual armour they could never wear 
such heavy head-pieces. 

Ram. That island of England breeds very 
valiant creatures: their mastiffs are of un- 
matchable courage. 157 

Orl. Foolish curs ! that run winking into the 
mouth of a Russian bear and have their heads 
crushed like rotten apples. You may as well say 
that's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast 
on the lip of a lion. 162 

Con. Just, just; and the men do sympathize 
with the mastiffs in robustious and rough com- 
ing on, leaving their wits with their wives: and 
then give them great meals of beef and iron 
and steel, they will eat like wolves and fight 
like devils. 168 

Orl. Ay, but these English are shrewdly out 
of beef. 

Con. Then shall we find to-morrow they have 
only stomachs to eat and none to fight. Now is 
it time to arm; come, shall we about it? 173 

Orl. It is now two o'clock: but, let me see, by ten 
We shall have each a hundred Englishmen. Exeunt. 

150 apprehension: intelligence 163 sympathize with: resemble 

164 robustious: sturdy 



66 The Life of 

ACT FOURTH 

Chorus. 
Now entertain conjecture of a time 
When creeping murmur and the poring dark 
Fills the wide vessel of the universe. 
From camp to camp, through the foul womb of 
night, 4 

The hum of either army stilly sounds, 
That the fix'd sentinels almost receive 
The secret whispers of each other's watch: 
Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames 8 
Each battle sees the other's umber'd face: 
Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs 
Piercing the night's dull ear; and from the tents 
The armourers, accomplishing the knights, 12 

With busy hammers closing rivets up, 
Give dreadful note of preparation. 
The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll, 
And the third hour of drowsy morning name. 16 

Proud of their numbers, and secure in soul, 
The confident and over-lusty French 
Do the low-rated English play at dice; 
And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night 20 

Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp 
So tediously away. The poor condemned English, 
Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires 
Sit patiently, and inly ruminate 24 

The morning's danger, and their gesture sad 
Investing lank-lean cheeks and war-worn coats 
Presenteth them unto the gazing moon 
So many horrid ghosts. O now, who will behold 28 

2 poring: dim-sighted 5 stilly : softly 

9 battle: army umber'd: dusky 12 accomplishing: equipping 

18 over-lusty": overconfident 19 play : play for 

25 gesture: bearing 26 Investing: accompanying 



Henry the Fifth, IV. i 67 

The royal captain of this ruin'd band 

Walking from watch to watch., from tent to tent, 

Let him cry 'Praise and glory on his head!' 

For forth he goes and visits all his host, 32 

Bids them good morrow with a modest smile, 

And calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen. 

Upon his royal face there is no note 

How dread an army hath enrounded him; 36 

Nor doth he dedicate one jot of colour 

Unto the weary and all-watched night: 

But freshly looks and overbears attaint 

With cheerful semblance and sweet majesty; 40 

That every wretch, pining and pale before, 

Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks. 

A largess universal, like the sun, 

His liberal eye doth give to every one, 44 

Thawing cold fear, that mean and gentle all 

Behold, as may unworthiness define, 

A little touch of Harry in the night. 

And so our scene must to the battle fly ; 48 

Where, — O for pity, — we shall much disgrace, 

With four or five most vile and ragged foils, 

Right ill dispos'd in brawl ridiculous, 

The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see, 52 

Minding true things by what their mockeries be. 

Exit. 

Scene One 
[The English Camp at Agincourf] 
Enter the King, Bedford, and Gloucester. 
K. Hen. Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great 
danger ; 

36 enrounded: surrounded 39 overbears attaint: subdues anxiety 

46 as . . . define: so far as they are able to apprehend 
53 Minding: imagining 



68 The Life of 

The greater therefore should our courage be. 

Good morrow, brother Bedford. God Almighty ! 

There is some soul of goodness in things evil, 4 

Would men observingly distil it out; 

For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, 

Which is both healthful, and good husbandry: 

Besides, they are our outward consciences, 8 

And preachers to us all ; admonishing 

That we should dress us fairly for our end. 

Thus may we gather honey from the weed, 

And make a moral of the devil himself. 12 

Enter Erpingham. 

Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham: 
A good soft pillow for that good white head 
Were better than a churlish turf of France. 

Erp. Not so, my liege: this lodging likes me 

better, 16 

Since I may say, 'Now lie I like a king.' 

K. Hen. 'Tis good for men to love their present 

pains 
Upon example; so the spirit is eas'd: 
And when the mind is quicken'd, out of doubt, 20 

The organs, though defunct and dead before, 
Break up their drowsy grave, and newly move 
With casted slough and fresh legerity. 
Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas. Brothers both, 
Commend me to the princes in our camp; 25 

Do my good morrow to them; and anon 
Desire them all to my pavilion. 

Glo. We shall, my liege. 28 

10 dress us: prepare ourselves 

19 Upon example: by virtue of the example set by another 

20 out of doubt: certainly 

23 casted slough: cast-off skin {of a snake) legerity: alacrity 

27 Desire: summon 



Henry the Fifth, IV. i 69 

Erp. Shall I attend your Grace? 
K. Hen. No, my good knight; 

Go with my brothers to my lords of England: 
I and my bosom must debate awhile, 
And then I would no other company. 32 

Erp. The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble Harry ! 
Exeunt [all but the Xing'], 
K. Hen. God-a-mercy, old heart ! thou speak'st 
cheerfully. 

Enter Pistol. 

Pist. Che vous la? 

K. Hen. A friend. 36 

Pist. Discuss unto me; art thou officer? 
Or art thou base, common and popular? 

K. Hen. I am a gentleman of a company. 

Pist. Trail'st thou the puissant pike? 40 

K. Hen. Even so. What are you ? 

Pist. As good a gentleman as the emperor. 

K. Hen. Then you are a better than the king. 

Pist. The king's a bawcock, and a heart of gold, 44 
A lad of life, an imp of fame: 
Of parents good, of fist most valiant: 
I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heart-string 
I love the lovely bully. What's thy name? 48 

K. Hen. Harry le Roy. 

Pist. Le Roy! a Cornish name: art thou of Cornish 
crew ? 

K. Hen. No, I am a Welshman. 

Pist. Know'st thou Fluellen? 52 

K.Hen. Yes. 

Pist. Tell him, I'll knock his leek about his pate 
Upon Saint Davy's day. 

35 Che vous la: i.e., Quiva la 38 popular : plebeian 

45 imp: youngling 48 bully : good fellow 

55 Saint Davy's day: March i; cf. n. 



70 The Life of 

K. Hen. Do not you wear your dagger in your 
cap that day, lest he knock that about yours. 57 
Pist. Art thou his friend? 
K. Hen. And his kinsman too. 

Pist. The figo for thee then! 60 

K. Hen. I thank you. God be with you ! 
Pist. My name is Pistol called. Exit. 

K. Hen. It sorts well with your fierceness. 

Enter Fluellen and Gower [severally]. 

Gow. Captain Fluellen ! 64 

Flu. So! in the name of Cheshu Christ, speak 
lower. It is the greatest admiration in the 
universal world, when the true and auncient 
prerogatifes and laws of the wars is not kept. 
If you would take the pains but to examine the 
wars of Pompey the Great, you shall find, I 
warrant you, that there is no tiddle-taddle nor 
pibble-pabble in Pompey's camp; I warrant 
you, you shall find the ceremonies of the wars, 
and the cares of it, and the forms of it, and the 
sobriety of it, and the modesty of it, to be other- 
wise. 76 

Gow. Why, the enemy is loud; you hear 
him all night. 

Flu. If the enemy is an ass and a fool and a 
prating coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we 
should also, look you, be an ass and a fool and a 
prating coxcomb, in your own conscience now? 
Gow. I will speak lower. 83 

Flu. I pray you and peseech you that you 
will. Exit [with Gower']. 

K. Hen. Though it appear a little out of fashion, 
There is much care and valour in this Welshman. 

59 kinsman: brother Welshman (Henry was born at Monmouth) 



Henry the Fifth, IV. i 7 1 

Enter three soldiers: John Bates, Alexander Court, 
and Michael Williams. 

Court. Brother John Bates, is not that the 
morning which breaks yonder? 89 

Bates. I think it be; but we have no great 
cause to desire the approach of day. 

Will. We see yonder the beginning of the 
day, but I think we shall never see the end of 
it. Who goes there? 

K. Hen. A friend. 

Will. Under what captain serve you? 96 

K. Hen. Under Sir Thomas Erpingham. 

Will. A good old commander and a most 
kind gentleman: I pray you, what thinks he of 
our estate? 100 

K. Hen. Even as men wrecked upon a sand, 
that look to be washed off the next tide. 

Bates. He hath not told his thought to the 
king ? 104 

K. Hen. No ; nor it is not meet he should. 
For, though I speak it to you, I think the king 
is but a man, as I am: the violet smells to him 
as it doth to me; the element shows to him as 
it doth to me; all his senses have but human 
conditions: his ceremonies laid by, in his naked- 
ness he appears but a man ; and though his ill 
affections are higher mounted than ours, yet 
when they stoop, they stoop with the like wing. 
Therefore when he sees reason of fears, as we do, 
his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish as 

100 estate: position 101 sand: sand-bank 

108 element: sky shows: appears 

110 ceremonies: marks of office 

113 stoop: term of falconry, used of the hazvk descending on its prey 

115 relish: flavor 



72 The Life of 

ours are: yet, in reason, no man should possess 
him with any appearance of fear, lest he, by 
showing it, should dishearten his army. 118 

Bates. He may show what outward courage 
he will, but I believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he 
could wish himself in Thames up to the neck, 
and so I would he were, and I by him, at all 
adventures, so we were quit here. 123 

K. lien. By my troth, I will speak my con- 
science of the king: I think he would not wish 
himself anywhere but where he is. 

Bates. Then I would he were here alone; so 
should he be sure to be ransomed, and a many 
poor men's lives saved. 129 

K. Hen. I dare say you love him not so ill 
to wish him here alone, howsoever you speak 
this to feel other men's minds. Methinks I 
could not die anywhere so contented as in the 
king's company, his cause being just and his 
quarrel honourable. 

Will. That's more than we know. 136 

Bates. Ay, or more than we should seek after; 
for we know enough if we know we are the king's 
subjects. If his cause be wrong, our obedience 
to the king wipes the crime of it out of us. 140 

Will. But if the cause be not good, the king 
himself hath a heavy reckoning to make; when 
all those legs and arms and heads, chopped off 
in a battle, shall join together at the latter day, 
and cry all, 'We died at such a place'; some 
swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon 
their wives left poor behind them, some upon 
the debts they owe, some upon their children 

116 possess: infect 124 conscience: private opinion 



Henry the Fifth, IV. i 73 

rawly left. I am afeard there are few die well 149 
that die in a battle; for how can they charitably 
dispose of anything when blood is their argu- 
ment? Now, if these men do not die well, it 
will be a black matter for the king that led them 
to it, who to disobey were against all propor- 
tion of subjection. 155 

K. Hen. So, if a son that is by his father sent 
about merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon 
the sea, the imputation of his wickedness, by 
your rule, should be imposed upon his father 
that sent him: or if a servant, under his master's 
command transporting a sum of money, be as- 
sailed by robbers and die in many irreconciled 162 
iniquities, you may call the business of the master 
the author of the servant's damnation. But this 
is not so: the king is not bound to answer the 
particular endings of his soldiers, the father of 
his son, nor the master of his servant; for they 
purpose not their death when they purpose their 
services. Besides, there is no king, be his cause 
never so spotless, if it come to the arbitrement 170 
of swords, can try it out with all unspotted sol- 
diers. Some, peradventure, have on them the 
guilt of premeditated and contrived murder; 
some, of beguiling virgins with the broken seals 
of perjury; some, making the wars their bul- 
wark, that have before gored the gentle bosom 
of peace with pillage and robbery. Now, if these 
men have defeated the law and outrun native 178 
punishment, though they can outstrip men, they 

149 rawly, without due provision 151 argument: business 

154, 155 all . . . subjection: all that is reasonably demanded of a 

subject 157 miscarry: perish 

162 irreconciled: unatoned for 170 arbitrement: decision 

173 contrived: plotted 178 native: in their home country 



74 The Life of 

have no wings to fly from God: war is his beadle, 
war is his vengeance; so that here men are 
punished for before-breach of the king's laws in 
now the king's quarrel: where they feared the 
death they have borne life away, and where they 
would be safe they perish. Then, if they die 185 
unprovided, no more is the king guilty of their 
damnation than he was before guilty of those 
impieties for the which they are now visited. 
Every subject's duty is the king's; but every 
subject's soul is his own. Therefore should every 
soldier in the wars do as every sick man in his 
bed, wash every mote out of his conscience; and 
dying so, death is to him advantage ; or not 193 
dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such 
preparation was gained: and in him that es- 
capes, it were not sin to think, that making God 
so free an offer, he let him outlive that day to 
see his greatness, and to teach others how they 
should prepare. 199 

Will. 'Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the 
ill upon his own head: the king is not to answer 
it. 

Bates. I do not desire he should answer for 
me; and yet I determine to fight lustily for him. 

K. Hen. I myself heard the king say he would 
not be ransomed. 200 

Will. Ay, he said so, to make us fight cheer- 
fully; but when our throats are cut he may be 
ransomed, and we ne'er the wiser. 

K. Hen. If I live to see it, I will never trust 
his word after. 211 

Will. You pay him then. That's a perilous 

180 beadle: minor police officer 

186 unprovided: unprepared 212 pay: punish 



Henry the Fifth, IV. i 75 

shot out of an elder-gun, that a poor and a 
private displeasure can do against a monarch. 
You may as well go about to turn the sun to 
ice with fanning in his face with a peacock's 
feather. You'll never trust his word after! 
come, 'tis a foolish saying. 218 

K. Hen. Your reproof is something too round ; 
I should be angry with you if the time were con- 
venient. 221 

Will. Let it be a quarrel between us, if you 
live. 

K. Hen. I embrace it. 224 

Will. How shall I know thee again? 

K. Hen. Give me any gage of thine, and I 
will wear it in my bonnet: then, if ever thou 
darest acknowledge it, I will make it my quarrel. 

Will. Here's my glove: give me another of 
thine. 230 

K.Hen. There. 

Will. This will I also wear in my cap: if ever 
thou come to me and say after to-morrow, 'This 
is my glove,' by this hand I will take thee a box 
on the ear. 

K. Hen. If ever I live to see it, I will challenge 

it. 237 

Will. Thou darest as well be hanged. 

K. Hen. Well, I will do it, though I take thee 
in the king's company. 240 

Will. Keep thy word: fare thee well. 

Bates. Be friends, you English fools, be 
friends: we have French quarrels enow, if you 
could tell how to reckon. 244 

213 elder-gun : popgun 215 go about: attempt 

219 round: plain-spoken 226 gage: pledge 



76 The Life of 

K. Hen. Indeed, the French may lay twenty 
French crowns to one, they will beat us; for 
they bear them on their shoulders: but it is no 
English treason to cut French crowns, and to- 
morrow the king himself will be a clipper. 249 

[Exeunt Soldiers.] 
Upon the king! let us our lives, our souls, 
Our debts, our careful wives, 

Our children, and our sins lay on the king ! 252 

We must bear all. O hard condition ! 
Twin-born with greatness, subject to the breath 
Of every fool, whose sense no more can feel 
But his own wringing. What infinite heart's ease 
Must kings neglect that private men enjoy! 257 

And what have kings that privates have not too, 
Save ceremony, save general ceremony? 
And what art thou, thou idol ceremony? 260 

What kind of god art thou, that suffer'st more 
Of mortal griefs than do thy worshippers? 
What are thy rents? what are thy comings-in? 
O ceremony ! show me but thy worth : 264 

What is thy soul of adoration? 
Art thou aught else but place, degree, and form, 
Creating awe and fear in other men? 
Wherein thou art less happy, being fear'd, 268 

Than they in fearing. 

What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet, 
But poison'd flattery ? O ! be sick, great greatness, 
And bid thy ceremony give thee cure. 272 

Think'st thou the fiery fever will go out 
With titles blown from adulation? 
Will it give place to flexure and low-bending? 

246 French crowns; cf. n. 251 careful: full of care 

256 wringing: suffering 

265 What is the essential reason men adore thee? 



Henry the Fifth, IV. i 77 

Canst thou, when thou command'st the beggar's 
knee, 276 

Command the health of it? No, thou proud dream, 
That play'st so subtly with a king's repose ; 
I am a king that find thee ; and I know 
'Tis not the balm, the sceptre and the ball, 280 

The sword, the mace, the crown imperial, 
The intertissued robe of gold and pearl, 
The farced title running 'fore the king, 
The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp 284 

That beats upon the high shore of this world, 
No, not all these, thrice-gorgeous ceremony, 
Not all these, laid in bed majestical, 
Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave, 288 

Who with a body fill'd and vacant mind 
Gets him to rest, cramm'd with distressful bread; 
Never sees horrid night, the child of hell, 
But, like a lackey, from the rise to set 292 

Sweats in the eye of Phoebus, and all night 
Sleeps in Elysium; next day after dawn, 
Doth rise and help Hyperion to his horse, 
And follows so the ever-running year 296 

With profitable labour to his grave : 
And, but for ceremony, such a wretch, 
Winding up days with toil and nights with sleep, 
Had the fore-hand and vantage of a king. 300 

The slave, a member of the country's peace, 
Enjoys it; but in gross brain little wots 
What watch the king keeps to maintain the peace, 
Whose hours the peasant best advantages. 304 

280 balm: anointing oil ball: carried by a king as a sign of sover- 

eignty 282 intertissued: interwoven 

283 farced: stuffed out with pompous phrases; cf. n. 
290 distressful: earned by painful labor 
295 help . . . horse: is up before the sun 

300 Had: would have fore-hand: upper hand 301 member: sharer 
304 the peasant best advantages: most benefit the peasant 



78 The Life of 

Enter Erpingham. 

Erp. My lord, your nobles, jealous of your ab- 
sence, 
Seek through your camp to find you. 

K. Hen. Good old knight, 

Collect them all together at my tent: 
I'll be before thee. 

Erp. I shall do 't, my lord. Exit. 

K. Hen. O God of battles ! steel my soldiers' 
hearts ; 309 

Possess them not with fear ; take from them now 
The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers 
Pluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O 
Lord, 312 

O, not to-day, think not upon the fault 
My father made in compassing the crown ! 
I Richard's body have interr'd anew, 
And on it have bestow'd more contrite tears 316 

Than from it issu'd forced drops of blood. 
Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay, 
Who twice a day their wither'd hands hold up 
Toward heaven, to pardon blood ; and I have built 320 
Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests 
Sing still for Richard's soul. More will I do ; 
Though all that I can do is nothing worth, 
Since that my penitence comes after all, 324 

Imploring pardon. 

Enter Gloucester. 

Glo. My liege! 

K. Hen. My brother Gloucester's voice ! Ay ; 

312 hearts: courage 314 compassing: obtaining 

321 chantries; cf. n. 323-325 Cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, IV. it 79 

I know thy errand, I will go with thee : 328 

The day, my friends, and all things stay for me. 

Exeunt. 

Scene Two 

[The French Camp"] 

Enter the Dauphin, Orleans, Rambures, and [Others], 

Orl. The sun doth gild our armour: up, my lords! 
Dau. Montez a cheval ! My horse ! varlet ! lackey ! 

ha! 
Orl. O brave spirit! 

Dau. Via! les eaux et la terre! 4 

Orl. Rien puis ? Fair et le feu. 
Dau. Ciel ! cousin Orleans. 

Enter Constable. 

Now, my lord constable ! 

Con. Hark how our steeds for present service 
neigh ! 8 

Dau. Mount them, and make incision in their hides, 
That their hot blood may spin in English eyes, 
And dout them with superfluous courage : ha ! 

Ram. What! will you have them weep our horses' 
blood? 12 

How shall we then behold their natural tears? 

Enter Messenger. 

Mess. The English are embattl'd, you French peers. 

Con. To horse, you gallant princes ! straight to 
horse ! 
Do but behold yon poor and starved band, 16 

And your fair show shall suck away their souls, 
Leaving them but the shales and husks of men. 

4 Via: away 11 dout: put out 18 shales: shells 



so The Life of 

There is not work enough for all our hands ; 

Scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins 20 

To give each naked curtal-axe a stain, 

That our French gallants shall to-day draw out, 

And sheathe for lack of sport: let us but blow on 

them, 
The vapour of our valour will o'erturn them. 24 

'Tis positive 'gainst all exceptions, lords, 
That our superfluous lackeys and our peasants, 
Who in unnecessary action swarm 
About our squares of battle, were enow 28 

To purge this field of such a hilding foe, 
Though we upon this mountain's basis by 
Took stand for idle speculation: 
But that our honours must not. What's to say ? 
A very little little let us do, 33 

And all is done. Then let the trumpets sound 
The tucket sonance and the note to mount: 
For our approach shall so much dare the field, 
That England shall couch down in fear and yield. 

Enter Grandpre. 

Grand. Why do you stay so long, my lords of 
France ? 
Yon island carrions desperate of their bones, 
Ill-f avour'dly become the morning field : 40 

Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose, 
And our air shakes them passing scornfully: 
Big Mars seems bankrupt in their beggar'd host, 
And faintly through a rusty beaver peeps: 44 

The horsemen sit like fixed candlesticks, 
With torch-staves in their hand; and their poor jades 

21 curtal-axe: long curved sword 29 hilding: base 

31 speculation: looking-on 35 tucket sonance: preliminary notes 

36 dare; cf. n. 37 couch: crouch 

41 curtains: banners 44 beaver: visor of the helmet 



Henry the Fifth, IV. Hi 8 1 

Lob down their heads, dropping the hides and hips, 
The gum down-roping from their pale-dead eyes, 48 
And in their pale dull mouths the gimmal'd bit 
Lies foul with chew'd grass, still and motionless; 
And their executors, the knavish crows, 
Fly o'er them, all impatient for their hour. 52 

Description cannot suit itself in words 
To demonstrate the life of such a battle 
In life so lifeless as it shows itself. 

Con. They have said their prayers, and they stay 
for death. 56 

Dau. Shall we go send them dinners and fresh 
suits, 
And give their fasting horses provender, 
And after fight with them? 

Con. I stay but for my guard: on, to the field! 60 

1 will the banner from a trumpet take, 

And use it for my haste. Come, come, away ! 

The sun is high, and we outwear the day. Exeunt. 

Scene Three 

[The English Ca7wp~\ 

Enter Gloucester, Bedford, Exeter, Erpingham, with 
all his host: Salisbury, and Westmoreland. 

Glo. Where is the king? 

Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle. 

West. Of fighting men they have full three-score 

thousand. 
Exe. There's five to one; besides, they all are 

fresh. 4 

47 Lob down: droop 48 down-roping: hanging down 

49 gimmal'd: made of rings or links 60, 61 Cf. n. 

61 trumpet: trumpeter 63 outwear: are wasting 

2 battle: battle lines 



82 The Life of 

Sal. God's arm strike with us ! 'tis a fearful odds. 
God be wi' you, princes all; I'll to my charge: 
If we no more meet till we meet in heaven, 
Then, joyfully, my noble Lord of Bedford, 8 

My dear Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter, 
And my kind kinsman, warriors all, adieu ! 

Bed. Farewell, good Salisbury; and good luck go 
with thee ! 

Exe. Farewell, kind lord. Fight valiantly to- 
day: 12 
And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it, 
For thou art fram'd of the firm truth of valour. 

[Exit Salisbury.] 

Bed. He is as full of valour as of kindness; 
Princely in both. 

Enter the King. 

West. O ! that we now had here 16 

But one ten thousand of those men in England 
That do no work to-day. 

K. Hen. What's he that wishes so? 

My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin: 
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow 20 

To do our country loss ; and if to live, 
The fewer men, the greater share of honour. 
God's will ! I pray thee, wish not one man more. 
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, 24 

Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; 
It yearns me not if men my garments wear; 
Such outward things dwell not in my desires : 
But if it be a sin to covet honour, 28 

I am the most offending soul alive. 
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England: 

10 kinsman: i.e., Westmoreland 30 coz: cousin 



Henry the Fifth, IV. Hi 83 

God's peace ! I would not lose so great an honour 

As one man more, methinks, would share from me, 32 

For the best hope I have. O! do not wish one more: 

Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, 

That he which hath no stomach to this fight, 

Let him depart ; his passport shall be made, 36 

And crowns for convoy put into his purse: 

We would not die in that man's company 

That fears his fellowship to die with us. 

This day is call'd the feast of Crispian: 40 

He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, 

Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd, 

And rouse him at the name of Crispian. 

He that shall live this day, and see old age, 44 

Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, 

And say, 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian'; 

Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, 

And say, 'These wounds I had on Crispin's day.' 

Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot, 49 

But he'll remember with advantages 

What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, 

Familiar in his mouth as household words, 52 

Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, 

Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, 

Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. 

This story shall the good man teach his son; 56 

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, 

From this day to the ending of the world, 

But we in it shall be remembered; 

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers ; 60 

For he to-day that sheds his blood with me 

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, 

37 convoy: traveling expenses 40 feast of Crispian: October 25 

45 vigil: eve of a feast-day 50 advantages: added details 

57 Crispin Crispian; cf. n. 62 vile: lozv born 



84 The Life of 

This day shall gentle his condition: 
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed, 64 

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, 
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks 
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. 

Enter Salisbury. 

Sal. My sov'reign lord, bestow yourself with 
speed: 68 

The French are bravely in their battles set, 
And will with all expedience charge on us. 

K. Hen. All things are ready, if our minds be so. 
West. Perish the man whose mind is backward 
now ! 72 

K. Hen. Thou dost not wish more help from Eng- 
land, coz? 
West. God's will ! my liege, would you and I alone, 
Without more help, could fight this royal battle! 
K. Hen. Why, now thou hast unwish'd five thou- 
sand men; 76 
Which likes me better than to wish us one. 
You know your places : God be with you all ! 

Tucket. Enter Montjoy. 

Mont. Once more I come to know of thee, King 
Harry, 
If for thy ransom thou wilt now compound, 80 

Before thy most assured overthrow: 
For certainly thou art so near the gulf 
Thou needs must be englutted. Besides, in mercy, 
The constable desires thee thou wilt mind 84 

Thy followers of repentance; that their souls 

63 gentle his condition: make him a gentleman 

68 bestow yourself: take your post 

69 bravely: with much display 70 expedience : speed 
80 compound: come to terms 83 englutted: swallowed up 



Henry the Fifth, IV. Hi 85 

May make a peaceful and a sweet retire 

From off these fields, where, wretches, their poor 

bodies 
Must lie and fester. 

K. Hen. Who hath sent thee now ? 88 

Mont. The Constable of France. 

K. Hen. I pray thee, bear my former answer back: 
Bid them achieve me and then sell my bones. 
Good God! why should they mock poor fellows 
thus ? 92 

The man that once did sell the lion's skin 
While the beast liv'd, was kill'd with hunting him. 
A many of our bodies shall no doubt 
Find native graves; upon the which, I trust, 96 

Shall witness live in brass of this day's work; 
And those that leave their valiant bones in France, 
Dying like men, though buried in your dung-hills, 
They shall be fam'd; for there the sun shall greet 
them, 100 

And draw their honours reeking up to heaven, 
Leaving their earthly parts to choke your clime, 
The smell whereof shall breed a plague in France. 
Mark then abounding valour in our English, 
That being dead, like to the bullet's grazing, 105 

Break out into a second course of mischief, 
Killing in relapse of mortality. 

Let me speak proudly: tell the constable, 108 

We are but warriors for the working-day; 
Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch'd 
With rainy marching in the painful field; 
There's not a piece of feather in our host — 112 

Good argument, I hope, we will not fly — 
And time hath worn us into slovenry: 

91 achieve: kill 107 relapse of mortality: a deadly rebound 

114 slovenry: slovenliness 



86 The Life of 

But, by the mass, our hearts are in the trim; 

And my poor soldiers tell me, yet ere night 116 

They'll be in fresher robes, or they will pluck 

The gay new coats o'er the French soldiers' heads, 

And turn them out of service. If they do this, — 

As, if God please, they shall, — my ransom then 

Will soon be levied. Herald, save thou thy 

labour; 121 

Come thou no more for ransom, gentle herald: 
They shall have none, I swear, but these my joints; 
Which if they have as I will leave 'em them, 124 

Shall yield them little, tell the constable. 

Mont. I shall, King Harry. And so, fare thee 

well: 
Thou never shalt hear herald any more. Exit. 

K. Hen. I fear thou'lt once more come again for 

ransom. 128 

Enter York. 

York. My lord, most humbly on my knee I beg 
The leading of the vaward. 

K. Hen. Take it, brave York. Now, soldiers, 
march away: 
And how thou pleasest, God, dispose the day ! 

Exeunt. 

Scene Four 

[The Field of Battle] 

Alarum: Excursions. Enter Pistol, French Soldier, 
[and] Boy. 
Pist. Yield, cur ! 

Fr. Sol. Je pense que vous etes gentil- 
homme de bonne qualite. 

117 in fresher robes: i.e., dead 130 vaward: vanguard 

Scene Four S. d. Excursions; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, IF, iv 87 

Pist. Qualtitie calmie custure me. Art thou a 
gentleman ? 4 

What is thy name? discuss. 

Fr. Sol. O Seigneur Dieu ! 
Pist. O Signieur Dew should be a gentleman: — 
Perpend my words, O Signieur Dew, and mark: 
O Signieur Dew, thou diest on point of fox 9 

Except, O signieur, thou do give to me 
Egregious ransom. 

Fr. Sol. O, prenez misericorde ! ayez pitie de 
moi ! 13 

Pist. Moy shall not serve; I will have forty moys; 
Or I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat 
In drops of crimson blood. 16 

Fr. Sol. Est-il impossible d'echapper la force 
de ton bras? 
Pist. Brass, cur! 
Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, 20 

Offer'st me brass? 

Fr. Sol. O pardonnez moi ! 
Pist. Sayst thou me so? is that a ton of moys? 
Come hither, boy: ask me this slave in French 
What is his name. 25 

Boy. ficoutez: comment etes-vous appele? 
Fr. Sol. Monsieur le Fer. 

Boy. He says his name is Master Fer. 28 

Pist. Master Fer ! I'll fer him, and firk him, 
and ferret him. Discuss the same in French 
unto him. 

Boy. I do not know the French for fer, and 
ferret, and firk. 33 

4 Qualtitie calmie custure me; cf. n. 8 Perpend: consider 

9 fox: sword 14 moys; cf. n. 15 rim: midriff 

20 luxurious: lustful 29 firk: beat 
30 ferret: worry (as a ferret does its game) 



88 The Life of 

Pist. Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat. 

Fr. Sol. Que dit-il, monsieur? 35 

Boy. II me commande de vous dire que vous 
faites vous pret; car ce soldat ici est dispose 
tout a cette heure de couper votre gorge. 
Pist. Owy, cuppele gorge, permafoy, 
Peasant, unless thou give me crowns, brave 

crowns ; 40 

Or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword. 

Fr. Sol. O! je vous supplie pour l'amour de 
Dieu, me pardonner ! Je suis gentilhomme de 
bonne maison: gardez ma vie, et je vous don- 
nerai deux cents ecus. 45 

Pist. What are his words? 

Boy. He prays you to save his life: he is a 
gentleman of a good house; and for his ransom 
he will give you two hundred crowns. 49 

Pist. Tell him, my fury shall abate, and I 
The crowns will take. 

Fr. Sol. Petit monsieur, que dit-il ? 52 

Boy. Encore qu'il est contre son jurement 
de pardonner aucun prisonnier; neanmoins, 
pour les ecus que vous l'avez promis, il est 
content de vous donner la liberte, le franchise- 
ment. 57 

Fr. Sol. Sur mes genoux, je vous donne mille 
remerciments ; et je m'estime heureux que je 
suis tombe entre les mains d'un chevalier, je 
pense, le plus brave, vaillant, et tres distingue 
seigneur d'Angleterre. 

Pist. Expound unto me, boy. 63 

Boy. He gives you, upon his knees, a thou- 
sand thanks; and he esteems himself happy 
that he hath fallen into the hands of one — as he 



Henry the Fifth, IV. v 89 

thinks — the most brave, valorous, and thrice- 
worthy signieur of England. 68 
Pist. As I suck blood, I will some mercy show. — 
Follow me! 

Boy. Suivez-vous le grand capitaine. [Exeunt 
Pistol and French Soldier.] I did never know so 72 
full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the 
saying is true, 'The empty vessel makes the great- 
est sound.' Bardolph and Nym had ten times 
more valour than this roaring devil i' the old play, 76 
that every one may pare his nails with a wooden 
dagger; and they are both hanged; and so would 
this be if he durst steal anything adventurously. 
I must stay with the lackeys, with the luggage 80 
of our camp: the French might have a good 
prey of us, if he knew of it; for there is none to 
guard it but boys. Exit. 



Scene Five 
[Another Part of the Field] 

Enter Constable, Orleans, Bourbon, Dauphin, and 
Rambures. 

Con. O diable! 

Orl. O seigneur! le jour est perdu! tout est perdu! 

Dau. Mort de ma vie ! all is confounded, all ! 
Reproach and everlasting shame 4 

Sit mocking in our plumes. O mechante fortune ! 
Do not run away. A short alarum. 

Con. Why, all our ranks are broke. 

Dau. . O perdurable shame ! let's stab ourselves. 
Be these the wretches that we play'd at dice for ? 8 

76 devil i' the old play; cf. n. 7 perdurable: everlasting 



90 The Life of 

Orl. Is this the king we sent to for his ransom? 

Bour. Shame, and eternal shame, nothing but 
shame ! 
Let's die in honour ! once more back again ; 
And he that will not follow Bourbon now, 12 

Let him go hence, and with his cap in hand, 
Like a base pander, hold the chamber-door 
Whilst by a slave, no gentler than my dog, 
His fairest daughter is contaminated. 16 

Con. Disorder, that hath spoil'd us, friend us now ! 
Let us on heaps go offer up our lives. 

Orl. We are enough yet living in the field 
To smother up the English in our throngs, 20 

If any order might be thought upon. 

Bour. The devil take order now ! I'll to the throng: 
Let life be short, else shame will be too long. 

Exit [with the others']. 

Scene Six 

[Another Part of the Field] 

Alarum. Enter the King and his train, with 
Prisoners. 

K. Hen. Well have we done, thrice-valiant country- 
men: 
But all's not done ; yet keep the French the field. 
Exe. The Duke of York commends him to your 

majesty. 
K. Hen. Lives he, good uncle? thrice within this 
hour 4 

I saw him down; thrice up again, and fighting; 
From helmet to the spur all blood he was. 

Exe. In which array, brave soldier, doth he lie, 

18 on heaps: in crowds 



Henry the Fifth, IV. vi 91 

Larding the plain; and by his bloody side, — 8 

Yoke-fellow to his honour-owing wounds, — 

The noble Earl of Suffolk also lies. 

Suffolk first died: and York, all haggled over, 

Comes to him, where in gore he lay insteep'd, 12 

And takes him by the beard, kisses the gashes 

That bloodily did yawn upon his face ; 

He cries aloud, 'Tarry, my cousin Suffolk ! 

My soul shall thine keep company to heaven; 16 

Tarry, sweet soul, for mine, then fly abreast, 

As in this glorious and well-foughten field, 

We kept together in our chivalry !' 

Upon these words I came and cheer'd him up: 20 

He smil'd me in the face, raught me his hand, 

And with a feeble gripe says, 'Dear my lord, 

Commend my service to my sovereign.' 

So did he turn, and over Suffolk's neck 24 

He threw his wounded arm, and kiss'd his lips ; 

And so espous'd to death, with blood he seal'd 

A testament of noble-ending love. 

The pretty and sweet manner of it forc'd 28 

Those waters from me which I would have stopp'd; 

But I had not so much of man in me, 

And all my mother came into mine eyes 

And gave me up to tears. 

K. Hen. I blame you not ; 32 

For, hearing this, I must perforce compound 
With mistful eyes, or they will issue too. Alarum. 

But hark ! what new alarum is this same ? 
The French have reinforc'd their scatter'd men: 
Then every soldier kill his prisoners ! 37 

Give the word through. Exit [with his train]. 

8 Larding: enriching (with his blood) 9 honour-owing: honorable 

11 haggled: hacked 21 raught: reached 34 issue: shed tears 



92 The Life of 

Scene Seven 
[Another Part of the Field'] 
Enter Fluellen and Gower. 

Flu. Kill the poys and the luggage! 'tis ex- 
pressly against the law of arms: 'tis as arrant 
a piece of knavery, mark you now, as can be 
offer't: in your conscience now, is it not? 4 

Gow. 'Tis certain, there's not a boy left alive; 
and the cowardly rascals that ran from the 
battle ha' done this slaughter: besides, they 
have burned and carried away all that was in 
the king's tent; wherefore the king most 
worthily hath caused every soldier to cut his 
prisoner's throat. O ! 'tis a gallant king. 11 

Flu. Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, Captain 
Gower. What call you the town's name where 
Alexander the Pig was born? 

Gow. Alexander the Great. 15 

Flu. Why, I pray you, is not pig great? The 
pig, or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, 
or the magnanimous, are all one reckonings, 
save the phrase is a little variations. 19 

Gow. I think Alexander the Great was born 
in Macedon: his father was called Philip of 
Macedon, as I take it. 

Flu. I think it is in Macedon where Alex- 
ander is porn. I tell you, captain, if you look in 
the maps of the 'orld, I warrant you sail find, 
in the comparisons between Macedon and Mon- 
mouth, that the situations, look you, is both 27 
alike. There is a river in Macedon, and there is 
also moreover a river at Monmouth: it is called 
Wye at Monmouth; but it is out of my prains 



Henry the Fifth, IV. vii 



what is the name of the other river; but 'tis all 
one, 'tis alike as my fingers is to my fingers, and 
there is salmons in both. If you mark Alex- 
ander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is 
come after it indifferent well ; for there is figures 35 
in all things. Alexander, — God knows, and you 
know, — in his rages, and his furies, and his 
wraths, and his cholers, and his moods, and his 
displeasures, and his indignations, and also 
being a little intoxicates in his prains, did, in 
his ales and his angers, look you, kill his pest 
friend, Cleitus. 42 

Gow. Our king is not like him in that: he 
never killed any of his friends. 

Flu. It is not well done, mark you now, to 
take the tales out of my mouth, ere it is made 
and finished. I speak but in the figures and 
comparisons of it: as Alexander killed his friend 48 
Cleitus, being in his ales and his cups, so also 
Harry Monmouth, being in his right wits and 
his good judgments, turned away the fat knight 
with the great belly-doublet: he was full of 
jests, and gipes, and knaveries, and mocks; I 
have forgot his name. 54 

Gow. Sir John Falstaff. 

Flu. That is he. I'll tell you, there is goot 
men porn at Monmouth. 

Gow. Here comes his majesty. 58 

Alarum. Enter King Harry and Bourbon with 
[other] prisoners [Warwick, Gloucester, Exeter, 
and Others']. Flourish. 

K. Hen. I was not angry since I came to France 

34, 35 is come after: resembles 35 figures: analogues 

53 gipes: jokes 



94 The Life of 

Until this instant. Take a trumpet, herald ; 60 

Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill: 

If they will fight with us, bid them come down, 

Or void the field ; they do offend our sight. 

If they'll do neither, we will come to them, 64 

And make them skirr away, as swift as stones 

Enforced from the old Assyrian slings. 

Besides, we'll cut the throats of those we have, 

And not a man of them that we shall take 68 

Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so. 

Enter Mont joy. 

Exe. Here comes the herald of the French, my 
liege. 

Glo. His eyes are humbler than they us'd to be. 

K. Hen. How now! what means this, herald? 
know'st thou not 72 

That I have fin'd these bones of mine for ransom? 
Com'st thou again for ransom? 

Mont. No, great king. 

I come to thee for charitable licence, 
That we may wander o'er this bloody field 76 

To book our dead, and then to bury them ; 
To sort our nobles from our common men ; 
For many of our princes — woe the while ! — 
Lie drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood; 80 

So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs 
In blood of princes ; and their wounded steeds 
Fret fetlock-deep in gore, and with wild rage 
Yerk out their armed heels at their dead masters, 84 
Killing them twice. O ! give us leave, great king, 
To view the field in safety and dispose 

63 void: leave 65 skirr: scurry 

73 fin'd: fixed as the price to be paid 77 book: record 

81 vulgar: common soldiers 84 Yerk: strike 



Henry the Fifth, IV, vii 95 

Of their dead bodies. 

K. Hen. I tell thee truly, herald, 

I know not if the day be ours or no ; 88 

For yet a many of your horsemen peer 

And gallop o'er the field. 

Mont. The day is yours. 

K. Hen. Praised be God, and not our strength, 
for it ! 

What is this castle call'd that stands hard by? 

Mont. They call it Agincourt. 93 

K. Hen. Then call we this the field of Agincourt, 

Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. 

Flu. Your grandfather of famous memory, 
an 't please your majesty, and your great-uncle 
Edward the Plack Prince of Wales, as I have 

, read in the chronicles, fought a most prave 
pattle here in France. 100 

K. Hen. They did, Fluellen. 
Flu. Your majesty says very true. If your 
majesties is remembered of it, the Welshmen 
did good service in a garden where leeks did 
grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; 
which, your majesty know, to this hour is an 
honourable badge of the service; and I do be- 
lieve, your majesty takes no scorn to wear the 
leek upon Saint Tavy's day. 109 

K. Hen. I wear it for a memorable honour ; 

For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman. 

Flu. All the water in Wye cannot wash your 
majesty's Welsh plood out of your pody, I can 
tell you that: Got pless it and preserve it, as long 
as it pleases his grace, and his majesty too! 

89 peer: appear 96 grandfather: i.e., great-grandfather 

104 in a garden; cf. n. 105 Monmouth caps; cf. n. 

109 Tavy's: David's 



96 The Life of 

K. Hen. Thanks, good my countryman. 116 

Flu. By Jeshu, I am your majesty's country- 
man, I care not who know it; I will confess it to 
all the 'orld: I need not be ashamed of your 
majesty, praised be God, so long as your majesty 
is an honest man. 121 

K. Hen. God keep me so ! Enter Williams. 

Our heralds go with him: 
Bring me just notice of the numbers dead 
On both our parts. Call yonder fellow hither. 

[Exeunt Heralds with Montjoy.] 

Exe. Soldier, you must come to the king. 

K. Hen. Soldier, why wear'st thou that glove in 
thy cap? 127 

Will. An 't please your majesty, 'tis the gage 
of one that I should fight withal, if he be alive. 

K. Hen. An Englishman ? 

Will. An 't please your majesty, a rascal that 
swaggered with me last night ; who, if a' live and 
ever dare to challenge this glove, I have sworn to 
take him a box o' the ear: or, if I can see my 
glove in his cap, — which he swore as he was a 
soldier he would wear if alive, — I will strike it 
out soundly. 137 

K. Hen. What think you, Captain Fluellen? 
is it fit this soldier keep his oath? 

Flu. He is a craven and a villain else, an 't 
please your majesty, in my conscience. 141 

K. Hen. It may be his enemy is a gentleman 
of great sort, quite from the answer of his degree. 

Flu. Though he be as good a gentleman as 
the devil is, as Lucifer and Belzebub himself, it 

123 just notice: exact information 124 parts: sides 

143 great sort: high rank from . . . degree: above answering the 

challenge of one of his rank 



Henry the Fifth, IV. vii 97 

is necessary, look your Grace, that he keep his 
vow and his oath. If he be perjured, see you 
now, his reputation is as arrant a villain and a 
Jack-sauce as ever his black shoe trod upon 
God's ground and his earth, in my conscience, 
la ! 151 

K. Hen. Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when 
thou meetest the fellow. 

Will. So I will, my liege, as I live. 

K. Hen. Who servest thou under ? 

Will. Under Captain Gower, my liege. 156 

Flu. Gower is a goot captain, and is good 
knowledge and literatured in the wars. 

K. Hen. Call him hither to me, soldier. 

Will. I will, my liege. Exit. 

K. Hen. Here, Fluellen ; wear thou this favour 
for me and stick it in thy cap. When Alencon 162 
and myself were down together I plucked this 
glove from his helm: if any man challenge this, 
he is a friend to Alencon, and an enemy to our 
person; if thou encounter any such, apprehend 
him, and thou dost me love. 167 

Flu. Your Grace does me as great honours as 
can be desired in the hearts of his subjects: I 
would fain see the man that has but two legs 
that shall find himself aggriefed at this glove, 
that is all; but I would fain see it once, and 
please God of his grace that I might see. 173 

K. Hen. Knowest thou Gower ? 

Flu. He is my dear friend, an 't please you. 

K. Hen. Pray thee, go seek him, and bring 
him to my tent. 177 

Flu. I will fetch him. Exit. 

149 Jack-sauce: impudent rascal 167 love: an act of kindness 



98 The Life of 

K. Hen. My Lord of Warwick, and my brother 
Gloucester, 
Follow Fluellen closely at the heels. 180 

The glove which I have given him for a favour, 
May haply purchase him a box o' the ear; 
It is the soldier's; I by bargain should 
Wear it myself. Follow, good cousin Warwick: 
If that the soldier strike him, — as I judge 185 

By his blunt bearing he will keep his word, — 
Some sudden mischief may arise of it; 
For I do know Fluellen valiant, 188 

And touch'd with choler, hot as gunpowder, 
And quickly will return an injury: 
Follow and see there be no harm between them. 
Go you with me, uncle of Exeter. Exeunt. 

Scene Eight 

[Before King Henry's Pavilion] 

Enter Gower and Williams. 

Will. I warrant it is to knight you, captain. 

Enter Fluellen. 

Flu. God's will and his pleasure, captain, I 
peseech you now come apace to the king: there 
is more good toward you peradventure than is 
in your knowledge to dream of. 5 

Will. Sir, know you this glove? 

Flu. Know the glove ! I know the glove is a glove. 

Will. I know this; and thus I challenge it. 8 

Strikes him. 

Flu. "Sblood ! an arrant traitor as any's in 
the universal world, or in France, or in England. 

4 toward: intended for 9 'Sblood: God's blood 



Henry the Fifth, IV. viii 99 

Gow. How now, sir ! you villain ! 

Will. Do you think I'll be forsworn? 12 

Flu. Stand away, Captain Gower; I will give 
treason his payment into plows, I warrant you. 

Will. I am no traitor. 

Flu. That's a lie in thy throat. I charge you 
in his majesty's name, apprehend him: he is a 
friend of the Duke Alencon's. 18 

Enter Warwick and Gloucester. 

War. How now, how now! what's the matter? 

Flu. My Lord of Warwick, here is, — praised 
be God for it ! — a most contagious treason come 
to light, look you, as you shall desire in a 
summer's day. Here is his majesty. 

Enter King and Exeter. 

K. Hen. How now ! what's the matter ? 24 

Flu. My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, 
that, look your Grace, has struck the glove which 
your majesty is take out of the helmet of Alencon. 

Will. My liege, this was my glove ; here is the 28 
fellow of it; and he that I gave it to in change 
promised to wear it in his cap: I promised to 
strike him, if he did: I met this man with my 
glove in his cap, and I have been as good as my 
word. 33 

Flu. Your majesty hear now, — saving your 
majesty's manhood, — what an arrant, rascally, 
beggarly, lousy knave it is. I hope your majesty 
is pear me testimony and witness, and will 
avouchment, that this is the glove of Alencon that 
your majesty is give me; in your conscience now. 

37 is pear: will bear 38 avouchment: make acknowledgment 



ioo The Life of 

K. Hen. Give me thy glove, soldier : look, 
here is the fellow of it. 41 

'Twas I, indeed, thou promisedst to strike; 
And thou hast given me most bitter terms. 

Flu. An 't please your majesty, let his neck 
answer for it, if there is any martial law in the 
'orld. 

K. Hen. How canst thou make me satis- 
faction ? 48 

Will. All offences, my lord, come from the 
heart: never came any from mine that might 
offend your majesty. 

K. Hen. It was ourself thou didst abuse. 
Will. Your majesty came not like yourself: 
you appeared to me but as a common man; 
witness the night, your garments, your lowli- 
ness ; and what your highness suffered under 56 
that shape, I beseech you, take it for your own 
fault and not mine: for had you been as I took 
you for, I made no offence; therefore, I beseech 
your highness, pardon me. 60 

K. Hen. Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with 
crowns, 
And give it to this fellow. Keep it, fellow ; 
And wear it for an honour in thy cap 
Till I do challenge it. Give him the crowns : 64 

And, captain, you must needs be friends with him. 
Flu. By this day and this light, the fellow 
has mettle enough in his belly. Hold, there is 
twelve pence for you, and I pray you to serve 68 
God, and keep you out of prawls, and prabbles, 
and quarrels, and dissensions, and, I warrant 
you, it is the better for you. 

43 terms: words 55 lowliness: humble bearing 

69 prabbles: squabbles 



Henry the Fifth, IV. viii 101 

Will. I will none of your money. 72 

Flu. It is with a good will; I can tell you it 
will serve you to mend your shoes: come, where- 
fore should you be so pashful? your shoes is not 
so good: 'tis a good shilling, I warrant you, or I 
will change it. 77 

Enter [an English] Herald. 

K. Hen. Now, herald, are the dead number'd ? 

Her. Here is the number of the slaughter'd French. 

K. Hen. What prisoners of good sort are taken, 
uncle ? 80 

Exe. Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew to the king; 
John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt: 
Of other lords and barons, knights and squires, 
Full fifteen hundred, besides common men. 84 

K. Hen. This note doth tell me of ten thousand 
French 
That in the field lie slain: of princes, in this number, 
And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead 
One hundred twenty-six : added to these, 88 

Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen, 
Eight thousand and four hundred; of the which 
Five hundred were but yesterday dubb'd knights: 
So that, in these ten thousand they have lost, 92 

There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries; 
The rest are princes, barons, lords, knights, squires, 
And gentlemen of blood and quality. 
The names of those their nobles that lie dead : 96 

Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France; 
Jaques of Chatillon, Admiral of France; 
The master of the cross-bows, Lord Rambures ; 

80 good sort: rank 



102 The Life of 

Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard 
Dolphin; loo 

John Duke of Alencon; Anthony Duke of Brabant, 
The brother to the Duke of Burgundy, 
And Edward Duke of Bar: of lusty earls, 
Grandpre and Roussi, Fauconberg and Foix, 104 

Beaumont and Marie, Vaudemont and Lestrale. 
Here was a royal fellowship of death ! 
Where is the number of our English dead? 

[Herald presents another paper.~\ 
Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk, 
Sir Richard Ketly, Davy Gam, esquire: 109 

None else of name: and of all other men 
But five and twenty. O God ! thy arm was here ; 
And not to us, but to thy arm alone, 112 

Ascribe we all. When, without stratagem, 
But in plain shock and even play of battle, 
Was ever known so great and little loss 
On one part and on the other? Take it, God, 
For it is none but thine ! 

Exe. 'Tis wonderful ! 117 

K. Hen. Come, go we in procession to the village : 
And be it death proclaimed through our host 
To boast of this or take the praise from God 120 

Which is his only. 

Flu. Is it not lawful, an please your majesty, 

to tell how many is killed? 

K. Hen. Yes, captain ; but with this acknowledg- 
ment, 124 
That God fought for us. 

Flu. Yes, my conscience, he did us great good. 

K. Hen. Do we all holy rites : 
Let there be sung 'Non nobis' and 'Te Deum' ; 128 

110 name: eminence 128 Non nobis; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, V. Chorus ios 

The dead with charity enclos'd in clay. 

And then to Calais ; and to England then, 

Where ne'er from France arriv'd more happy men. 

Exeunt. 

ACT FIVE 
Enter Chorus. 

Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story, 

That I may prompt them: and of such as have, 

I humbly pray them to admit the excuse 

Of time, of numbers, and due course of things, 4 

Which cannot in their huge and proper life 

Be here presented. Now we bear the king 

Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen, 

Heave him away upon your winged thoughts 8 

Athwart the sea. Behold, the English beach 

Pales in the flood with men, with wives, and boys, 

Whose shouts and claps out-voice the deep-mouth'd 

sea, 
Which, like a mighty whiffler 'fore the king, 12 

Seems to prepare his way: so let him land 
And solemnly see him set on to London. 
So swift a pace hath thought that even now 
You may imagine him upon Blackheath ; 16 

Where that his lords desire him to have borne 
His bruised helmet and his bended sword 
Before him through the city: he forbids it, 
Being free from vainness and self-glorious pride; 20 
Giving full trophy, signal and ostent, 
Quite from himself, to God. But now behold, 
In the quick forge and working-house of thought, 

7 grant: imagine 10 Pales in : en compasses 

12 whiffler: officer who went at the head of a procession 
21 signal: symbols of victory ostent: triumphal show 



104 The Life of 

How London doth pour out her citizens. 24 

The mayor and all his brethren in best sort, 
Like to the senators of the antique Rome, 
With the plebeians swarming at their heels, 
Go forth and fetch their conquering Caesar in: 
As, by a lower but loving likelihood, 29 

Were now the general of our gracious empress, — 
As in good time he may, — from Ireland coming, 
Bringing rebellion broached on his sword, 32 

How many would the peaceful city quit 
To welcome him ! much more, and much more cause, 
Did they this Harry. Now in London place him ; 
As yet the lamentation of the French 36 

Invites the King of England's stay at home, — 
The emperor's coming in behalf of France, 
To order peace between them ; — and omit 
All the occurrences, whatever chanc'd, 40 

Till Harry's back-return again to France: 
There must we bring him ; and myself have play'd 
The interim, by remembering you 'tis past. 
Then brook abridgment, and your eyes advance, 
After your thoughts, straight back again to France. 

Exit. 

Scene One 

[France. The English camp] 

Enter Fluellen and Gower. 

Gow. Nay, that's right; but why wear you 
your leek to-day? Saint Davy's day is past. 

Flu. There is occasions and causes why and 
wherefore in all things: I will tell you, asse my 4 
friend, Captain Gower. The rascally, scald, 

25 sort: array 30 general: Earl of Essex; cf. n. 

32 broached: transfixed 38 emperor's; cf. n. 

39 order: arrange 5 scald: scurvy 



Henry the Fifth, V. i ios 

beggarly, lousy, pragging knave, Pistol, — which 
you and yourself and all the world know to be no 
petter than a fellow, look you now, of no merits, — 8 
he is come to me and prings me pread and salt 
yesterday, look you, and pid me eat my leek. It 
was in a place where I could not preed no con- 
tention with him ; but I will be so pold as to 12 
wear it in my cap till I see him once again, and 
then I will tell him a little piece of my desires. 
Gow. Why, here he comes, swelling like a 
turkey-cock. 16 

Enter Pistol. 

Flu. 'Tis no matter for his swellings nor his 
turkey-cocks. God pless you, Aunchient Pistol! 
you scurvy, lousy knave, God pless you ! 
Pist. Ha! art thou bedlam? dost thou thirst, base 

Troyan, 20 

To have me fold up Parca's fatal web? 
Hence ! I am qualmish at the smell of leek. 

Flu. I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lousy 
knave, at my desires and my requests and my 24 
petitions to eat, look you, this leek; pecause, 
look you, you do not love it, nor your affections 
and your appetites and your digestions does not 
agree with it, I would desire you to eat it. 28 

Pist. Not for Cadwallader and all his goats. 

Flu. There is one goat for you. Strikes him. 
Will you be so good, scald knave, as eat it? 

Pist. Base Troyan, thou shalt die. 32 

Flu. You say very true, scald knave, when 
God's will is. I will desire you to live in the 

11,12 preed . . . contention: push a quarrel 

20 bedlam: mad Troyan: Trojan, cant term for rioter 

21 Parca: i.e., Parcce, the Fates 

29 Cadwallader: the last of the Welsh kings 



106 The Life of 

mean time and eat your victuals; come, there 
is sauce for it. [Strikes him again.'] You called 36 
me yesterday mountain-squire, but I will make 
you to-day a squire of low degree. I pray you, fall 
to: if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek. 

Gow. Enough, captain: you have astonished 
him. 41 

Flu. I say, I will make him eat some part of 
my leek, or I will peat his pate four days. Bite, 
I pray you ; it is good for your green wound and 
your ploody coxcomb. 45 

Pist. Must I bite? 

Flu. Yes, certainly, and out of doubt and 
out of question too and ambiguities. 48 

Pist. By this leek, I will most horribly re- 
venge. I eat and eat, I swear — 

Flu. Eat, I pray you: will you have some 
more sauce to your leek? there is not enough 
leek to swear by. 53 

Pist. Quiet thy cudgel: thou dost see I eat. 

Flu. Much good do you, scald knave, heart- 
ily. Nay, pray you, throw none away; the 
skin is good for your broken coxcomb. When 
you take occasions to see leeks hereafter, I pray 
you, mock at 'em; that is all. 

Pist. Good. 60 

Flu. Ay, leeks is good. Hold you, there is a 
groat to heal your pate. 

Pist. Me a groat! 

Flu. Yes, verily and in truth, you shall take 
it; or I have another leek in my pocket, which 
you shall eat. 66 

40 astonished: stunned (?) 45 coxcomb: head 

62 groat: a coin worth fourpence 



Henry the Fifth, V. i 107 

Pist. I take thy groat in earnest of revenge. 
Flu. If I owe you anything I will pay you in 
cudgels: you shall be a woodmonger, and buy 
nothing of me but cudgels. God be wi' you, and 
keep you, and heal your pate. Exit. 

Pist. All hell shall stir for this. 72 

Gow. Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly 
knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition, 
begun upon an honourable respect, and worn as 
a memorable trophy of predeceased valour, and 76 
dare not avouch in your deeds any of your words ? 
I have seen you gleeking and galling at this 
gentleman twice or thrice. You thought, be- 
cause he could not speak English in the native 80 
garb, he could not therefore handle an English 
cudgel : you find it otherwise ; and henceforth 
let a Welsh correction teach you a good English 
condition. Fare ye well. Exit. 

Pist. Doth Fortune play the huswife with me 
now ? 85 

News have I that my Doll is dead i' the spital 
Of malady of France: 

And there my rendezvous is quite cut off. 88 

Old I do wax, and from my weary limbs 
Honour is cudgell'd. Well, bawd I'll turn, 
And something lean to cutpurse of quick hand. 
To England will I steal, and there I'll steal: 92 

And patches will I get unto these cudgell'd scars, 
And swear I got them in the Gallia wars. Exit. 

75 respect: consideration 77 avouch : support 

78 gleeking: scoffing galling: jeering 81 garb: manner 

84 condition : disposition 85 huswife: jilt 



108 The Life of 

Scene Two 

[An Apartment in the French King's Palace] 

Enter at one door, King Henry, Exeter, Bedford, 
Warwick, [Gloucester, Clarence,] and other 
Lords; at another, Queen Isabel, [the Princess 
Katharine, Alice and other Ladies,] the [French] 
King, the Duke of Burgundy, and other French. 

K. Hen. Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are 
met! 
Unto our brother France, and to our sister, 
Health and fair time of day; joy and good wishes 
To our most fair and princely cousin Katharine; 
And, as a branch and member of this royalty, 5 

By whom this great assembly is contriv'd, 
We do salute you, Duke of Burgundy; 
And, princes French, and peers, health to you all ! 8 

Fr. King. Right joyous are we to behold your face, 
Most worthy brother England; fairly met: 
So are you, princes English, every one. 

Q. Isa. So happy be the issue, brother England, 
Of this good day and of this gracious meeting, 13 

As we are now glad to behold your eyes ; 
Your eyes, which hitherto have borne in them 
Against the French, that met them in their bent, 
The fatal balls of murdering basilisks : 17 

The venom of such looks, we fairly hope, 
Have lost their quality, and that this day 
Shall change all griefs and quarrels into love. 20 

K. Hen. To cry amen to that, thus we appear. 

Q. Isa. You English princes all, I do salute you. 

Bur. My duty to you both, on equal love, 

3 fair time of day: a common form of greeting 

16 bent: aim or glance 17 basilisks: large cannon; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, V. ii 109 

Great Kings of France and England! That I have 
labour'd 24 

With all my wits, my pains, and strong endeavours, 
To bring your most imperial majesties 
Unto this bar and royal interview, 
Your mightiness on both parts best can witness. 
Since then my office hath so far prevail'd 29 

That face to face, and royal eye to eye, 
You have congreeted, let it not disgrace me 
If I demand before this royal view, 32 

What rub or what impediment there is, 
Why that the naked, poor, and mangled Peace, 
Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births, 
Should not in this best garden of the world, 36 

Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage? 
Alas ! she hath from France too long been chas'd, 
And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps, 
Corrupting in it own fertility. 40 

Her vine, the merry cheercr of the heart, 
Unpruned dies; her hedges even-pleach'd, 
Like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair, 
Put forth disorder'd twigs ; her fallow leas 44 

The darnel, hemlock and rank fumitory 
Doth root upon, while that the coulter rusts 
That should deracinate such savagery; 
The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth 48 
The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, 
Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank, 
Conceives by idleness, and nothing teems 
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs, 

27 bar: barrier; place of meeting 

31 congreeted: exchanged greetings 32 view: presence 40 it: its 

42 even-pleach'd: evenly interzuoven 44 leas: arable land 

45 darnel: a weed injurious to crops fumitory: a weed with a bitter 

taste 46 coulter : ploughshare 

47 deracinate: uproot 52 kecksies: dry stalk s 



no The Life of 

Losing both beauty and utility ; 53 

And all our vineyards, fallows, meads, and hedges, 

Defective in their natures, grow to wildness. 

Even so our houses and ourselves and children 

Have lost, or do not learn for want of time, 57 

The sciences that should become our country, 

But grow like savages, — as soldiers will, 

That nothing do but meditate on blood, — 60 

To swearing and stern looks, diffus'd attire, 

And everything that seems unnatural. 

Which to reduce into our former favour 

You are assembled; and my speech entreats 64 

That I may know the let why gentle Peace 

Should not expel these inconveniences, 

And bless us with her former qualities. 

K. Hen. If, Duke of Burgundy, you would the 
peace, 68 

Whose want gives growth to the imperfections 
Which you have cited, you must buy that peace 
With full accord to all our just demands; 
Whose tenours and particular effects 72 

You have, enschedul'd briefly, in your hands. 

Bur. The king hath heard them; to the which as 
vet, 
There is no answer made. 

K. Hen. Well then the peace, 

Which you before so urg'd, lies in his answer. 76 

Fr. King. I have but with a cursorary eye 
O'erglanc'd the articles : pleaseth your Grace 
To appoint some of your council presently 
To sit with us once more, with better heed 80 

61 diffus'd: disordered 63 reduce: bring back favour: aspect 

65 let: impediment 72 tenours: purport 

73 enschedul'd: drawn up in writing 77 cursorary: cursory 



Henry the Fifth, V. ii 1 1 1 

To re-survey them, we will suddenly- 
Pass our accept and peremptory answer. 

K. Hen. Brother, we shall. Go, uncle Exeter, 
And brother Clarence, and you, brother Gloucester, 84 
Warwick and Huntingdon, go with the king; 
And take with you free power to ratify, 
Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best 
Shall see advantageable for our dignity, 88 

Anything in or out of our demands, 
And we'll consign thereto. Will you, fair sister, 
Go with the princes, or stay here with us? 

Q. Isa. Our gracious brother, I will go with 
them. 92 

Haply a woman's voice may do some good 
When articles too nicely urg'd be stood on. 

K. Hen. Yet leave our cousin Katharine here with 
us: 
She is our capital demand, compris'd 96 

Within the fore-rank of our articles. 
Q. Isa. She hath good leave. 

Exeunt [all except King Henry, Katharine, 

and Alice]. 
K. Hen. Fair Katharine, and most fair ! 

Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms, 
Such as will enter at a lady's ear, 100 

And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart? 

Kath. Your majesty shall mock at me; I can- 
not speak your England. 

K. Hen. O fair Katharine ! if you will love 
me soundly with your French heart, I will be 
glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your 
English tongue. Do you like me, Kate? 107 

81 suddenly: soon 82 accept: decisive peremptory: final 

90 consign : agree 96 capital: chief 



112 The Life of 

Kath. Pardonnez-moi, I cannot tell wat is 
'like me.' 

K. Hen. An angel is like you, Kate ; and you 
are like an angel. 

Kath. Que dit-il? que je suis semblable a les 
anges ? 113 

Alice. Oui, vraiment, sauf votre grace, ainsi 
dit-il. 

K. Hen. I said so, dear Katharine ; and I 
must not blush to affirm it. 117 

Kath. O bon Dieu ! les langues des hommes 
sont pleines de tromperies. 

K. Hen. What says she, fair one ? that the 
tongues of men are full of deceits ? 121 

Alice. Oui, dat de tongues of de mans is be 
full of deceits: dat is de princess. 

K. Hen. The princess is the better English- 
woman. I* faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy 
understanding: I am glad thou canst speak no 
better English ; for, if thou couldst, thou wouldst 
find me such a plain king that thou wouldst 
think I had sold my farm to buy my crown. I 129 
know no ways to mince it in love, but directly 
to say 'I love you': then, if you urge me further 
than to say 'Do you in faith?' I wear out my 
suit. Give me your answer; i' faith do: and so 
clap hands and a bargain. How say you, lady? 

Kath. Sauf votre honneur, me understand well. 

K. Hen. Marry, if you would put me to verses, 
or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid 137 
me: for the one, I have neither words nor mea- 
sure, and for the other, I have no strength in 
measure, yet a reasonable measure in strength. 

137 undid: would undo 138 measure; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, V. ii 1 i 3 

If I could win a lady at leap-frog, or by vaulting 
into my saddle with my armour on my back, 
under the correction of bragging be it spoken, 
I should quickly leap into a wife. Or if I might 
buffet for my love, or bound my horse for her 145 
favours, I could lay on like a butcher and sit 
like a jack-an-apes, never off. But before God, 
Kate, I cannot look greenly nor gasp out my 
eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protesta- 
tion; only downright oaths, which I never use 
till urged, nor never break for urging. If thou 
canst love a fellow of this temper, Kate, whose 
face is not worth sun-burning, that never looks 153 
in his glass for love of anything he sees there, 
let thine eye be thy cook. I speak to thee plain 
soldier: if thou canst love me for this, take me; 
if not, to say to thee that I shall die, is true ; but 
for thy love, by the Lord, no; yet I love thee 
too. And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a 
fellow of plain and uncoined constancy, for he 
perforce must do thee right, because he hath 161 
not the gift to woo in other places; for these 
fellows of infinite tongue, that can rime them- 
selves into ladies' favours, they do always reason 
themselves out again. What! a speaker is but 
a prater; a rime is but a ballad. A good leg 
will fall, a straight back will stoop, a black beard 
will turn white, a curled pate will grow bald, a 
fair face will wither, a full eye will wax hollow, 169 
but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the 
moon; or, rather, the sun, and not the moon; 

145 buffet: box bound my horse: make my horse leap 

147 jack-an-apes: monkey 148 greenly: foolishly 

149 cunning: skill 152 temper: disposition 

155 let . . . cook; cf. n. 160 uncoined constancy: cf. n. 

167 fall: shrink 



114 The Life of 

for it shines bright and never changes, but keeps 
his course truly. If thou would have such a one, 
take me; and take me, take a soldier; take a 
soldier, take a king. And what sayest thou then to 
my love? speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee. 
Kath. Is it possible dat I sould love de 
enemy of France? 178 

K. Hen. No; it is not possible you should 
love the enemy of France, Kate; but, in loving 
me, you should love the friend of France; for 
I love France so well, that I will not part with 
a village of it; I will have it all mine: and, 
Kate, when France is mine and I am yours, 
then yours is France and you are mine. 185 

Kath. I cannot tell wat is dat. 

K. Hen. No, Kate ? I will tell thee in French, 
which I am sure will hang upon my tongue like 
a new-married wife about her husband's neck, 
hardly to be shook off. Je quand sur le posses- 
sion de France, et quand vous avez le possession 
de moi, — let me see, what then? Saint Denis 192 
be my speed! — done votre est France, et vous 
etes mienne. It is as easy for me, Kate, to 
conquer the kingdom, as to speak so much 
more French: I shall never move thee in French, 
unless it be to laugh at me. 197 

Kath. Sauf votre honneur, le francais que 
vous parlez, il est meilleur que l'anglais lequel je 
parle. 200 

K. Hen. No, faith, is 't not, Kate ; but thy 
speaking of my tongue, and I thine, most truly 
falsely, must needs be granted to be much at 

192 Saint Denis: patron saint of France 

193 be my speed: aid me 



Henry the Fifth, V.ii ns 

one. But, Kate, dost thou understand thus 
much English, Canst thou love me? 205 

Kath. I cannot tell. 

K. Hen. Can any of your neighbours tell, 
Kate? I'll ask them. Come, I know thou lovest 
me; and at night when you come into your 
closet you'll question this gentlewoman about 210 
me; and I know, Kate, you will to her dispraise 
those parts in me that you love with your heart: 
but, good Kate, mock me mercifully; the rather, 
gentle princess, because I love thee cruelly. If 
ever thou be'st mine, Kate, — as I have a saving 
faith within me tells me thou shalt, — I get thee 
with scambling, and thou must therefore needs 217 
prove a good soldier-breeder. Shall not thou 
and I, between Saint Denis and Saint George, 
compound a boy, half French, half English, 
that shall go to Constantinople and take the 
Turk by the beard? shall we not? what sayest 
thou, my fair flower-de-luce? 

Kath. I do not know dat. 224 

K. Hen. No ; 'tis hereafter to know, but now 
to promise: do but now promise, Kate, you will 
endeavour for your French part of such a boy, 
and for my English moiety take the word of a 
king and a bachelor. How answer you, la plus 
belle Katharine du monde, mon tres cher et 
devin deesse? 231 

Kath. Your majeste ave fausse French enough 
to deceive de most sage demoiselle dat is en 
France. 234 

K. Hen. Now, fie upon my false French ! By 

203,204 at one: alike 210 closet: chamber 217 scambling: fighting 
223 flower-de-luce: fleur-de-lys, the emblem of France 
228 moiety: half 



116 The Life of 

mine honour, in true English I love thee, Kate: 
by which honour I dare not swear thou lovest 
me; yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou 
dost* notwithstanding the poor and untempering 
effect of my visage. Now beshrew my father's 240 
ambition ! he was thinking of civil wars when 
he got me: therefore was I created with a stub- 
born outside, with an aspect of iron, that, when 
I come to woo ladies, I fright them. But, in 
faith, Kate, the elder I wax the better I shall 
appear: my comfort is, that old age, that ill 
layer-up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon 
my face : thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the 248 
worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me, 
better and better. And therefore tell me, most 
fair Katharine, will you have me? Put off your 
maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of your 
heart with the looks of an empress; take me 
by the hand, and say 'Harry of England, I am 
thine': which word thou shalt no sooner bless 
mine ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud, 256 
'England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is 
thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine'; who, 
though I speak it before his face, if he be not 
fellow with the best king, thou shalt find the 260 
best king of good fellows. Come, your answer 
in broken music; for thy voice is music, and 
thy English broken; therefore, queen of all, 
Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken 
English: wilt thou have me? 265 

Kath. Dat is as it shall please de roi mon pere. 

239 untempering: unsoftening 240 beshrew: a plague upon 

247 layer-up: preserver 260 fellow with : a match for 

262 broken music; cf. n. 264 break: disclose 



Henry the Fifth, V. it 1 1 7 

K. Hen. Nay, it will please him well, Kate ; 
it shall please him, Kate. 268 

Kath. Den it shall also content me. 

K. Hen. Upon that I kiss your hand, and I 
call you my queen. 

Kath. Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez ! 
Ma foi, je ne veux point que vous abaissiez votre 
grandeur, en baisant la main d'une de votre seig- 
neurie indigne serviteur: excusez-moi, je vous 
supplie, mon tres-puissant seigneur. 276 

K. Hen. Then I will kiss your lips, Kate. 

Kath. Les dames, et demoiselles, pour etre 
baisees devant leur noces, il n'est pas la cou- 
tume de France. 280 

K. Hen. Madam my interpreter, what says she ? 

Alice. Dat it is not be de fashion pour les 
ladies of France, — I cannot tell wat is baiser 
en Anglish. 284 

K. Hen. To kiss. 

Alice. Your majesty entendre bettre que moi. 

K. Hen. It is not a fashion for the maids in 
France to kiss before they are married, would 
she say? 289 

Alice. Oui, vraiment. 

K. Hen. O Kate ! nice customs curtsy to great 
kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined 
within the weak list of a country's fashion: we 293 
are the makers of manners, Kate; and the 
liberty that follows our places stops the mouths 
of all find-faults, as I will do yours, for uphold- 
ing the nice fashion of your country in denying 
me a kiss : therefore, patiently, and yielding 298 
[Kissing her]. You have witchcraft in your lips, 

291 curtsy: bow 293 list: barrier 



118 The Life of 

Kate: there is more eloquence in a sugar touch 
of them, than in the tongues of the French 
council; and they should sooner persuade 
Harry of England than a general petition of 
monarchs. Here comes your father. 304 

Enter the French Power, and the English Lords. 

Bur. God save your majesty! My royal 
cousin, teach you our princess English? 

K. Hen. I would have her learn, my fair 
cousin, how perfectly I love her; and that is 
good English. 309 

Bur. Is she not apt? 

K. Hen. Our tongue is rough, coz, and my 
condition is not smooth; so that, having neither 
the voice nor the heart of flattery about me, I 
cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her, 
that he will appear in his true likeness. 315 

Bur. Pardon the frankness of my mirth if I 
answer you for that. If you would conjure in 
her, you must make a circle; if conjure up Love 
in her in his true likeness, he must appear 
naked and blind. Can you blame her then, 320 
being a maid yet rosed over with the virgin 
crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance 
of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self? 
It were, my lord, a hard condition for a maid 
to consign to. 325 

K. Hen. Yet they do wink and yield, as love 
is blind and enforces. 

Bur. They are then excused, my lord, when 
they see not what they do. 329 1 

318 circle; cf. n. 



Henry the Fifth, V.ii n 9 

K. Hen. Then, good my lord, teach your 
cousin to consent winking. 

Bur. I will wink on her to consent, my lord, 
if you will teach her to know my meaning: for 
maids, well summered and warm kept, are like 
flies at Bartholomew-tide, blind, though they 335 
have their eyes ; and then they will endure hand- 
ling, which before would not abide looking on. 

K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time 
and a hot summer; and so I shall catch the 
fly, your cousin, in the latter end, and she must 
be blind too. 341 

Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves. 

K. Hen. It is so: and you may, some of you, 
thank love for my blindness, who cannot see 
many a fair French city for one fair French 
maid that stands in my way. 346 

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you see them per- 
spectively, the cities turned into a maid; for 
they are all girdled with maiden walls that war 
hath never entered. 

K. Hen. Shall Kate be my wife? 

Fr. King. So please you. 352 

K. Hen. I am content ; so the maiden cities 
you talk of may wait on her: so the maid that 
stood in the way for my wish shall show me the 
way to my will. 356 

Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of 
reason. 

K. Hen. Is 't so, my lords of England? 
West. The king hath granted every article: 
His daughter first, and then in sequel all, 361 

According to their firm proposed natures. 

335 Bartholomew-tide: St. Bartholomew's day, August 24 
347 perspectively; cf. n. 



120 The Life of 

Exe. Only he hath not yet subscribed this: 
Where your majesty demands, that the King of 
France, having any occasion to write for matter 
of grant, shall name your highness in this form, 366 
and with this addition, in French. Notre tres cher 
fils Henry roi d'Angleterre, Heritier de France; 
and thus in Latin, Praeclarissimus iilius noster 
Henricus, Rex Angliae, et Hseres Francise. 
Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied, 
But your request shall make me let it pass. 372 

K. Hen. I pray you then, in love and dear alliance, 
Let that one article rank with the rest; 
And thereupon give me your daughter. 

Fr. King. Take her, fair son ; and from her blood 
raise up 376 

Issue to me; that the contending kingdoms 
Of France and England, whose very shores look pale 
With envy of each other's happiness, 
May cease their hatred, and this dear conjunction 
Plant neighbourhood and Christian-like accord 
In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance 
His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France. 
All. Amen! 384 

K. Hen. Now, welcome, Kate: and bear me witness 
all, 
That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen. 

Flourish. 
Q. Isa. God, the best maker of all marriages, 
Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one ! 
As man and wife, being two, are one in love, 389 

So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal 
That never may ill office, or fell jealousy, 
Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage, 

363 subscribed: signed 367 addition: title 

369 Praeclarissimus; cf. n. 381 neighbourhood: neighborly feeling 



Henry the Fifth, V. ii 121 

Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms, 
To make divorce of their incorporate league; 
That English may as French, French Englishmen, 
Receive each other ! God speak this Amen ! 396 

All. Amen! 

K. Hen. Prepare we for our marriage: on which 
day, 
My Lord of Burgundy, we'll take your oath, 
And all the peers', for surety of our leagues. 400 

Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me; 
And may our oaths well kept and prosperous be ! 

Sennet. Exeunt. 

EPILOGUE 

Enter Chorus. 

Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen, 

Our bending author hath pursu'd the story; 
In little room confining mighty men, 3 

Mangling by starts the full course of their glory. 
Small time, but in that small most greatly liv'd 

This star of England: Fortune made his sword, 
By which the world's best garden he achiev'd, 7 

And of it left his son imperial lord. 
Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown'd King 

Of France and England, did this king succeed; 
Whose state so many had the managing, 11 

That they lost France and made his England bleed: 
Which oft our stage hath shown ; and, for their sake, 
In your fair minds let this acceptance take. 14 

393 paction: alliance 402 S. d. Sennet: set of notes on a trumpet 

2 bending: i.e., bending beneath the burden of his task 

4 starts: a fragmentary representation 14 this: this play 

FINIS. 



NOTES 

Prol. 11. cockpit. A pit or enclosure for the popu- 
lar Elizabethan sport of cockfighting. The expres- 
sion is not to be taken literally, but merely as part of 
Shakespeare's disparagement of his inadequate repre- 
sentation of the great events of King Henry's reign. 
The Vooden O' of line 13 presumably refers to the 
Globe theatre, built in 1599. The Globe is thought 
to have been octagonal on the exterior, but the interior 
was probably circular. 

Prol. 16. Attest. The 'crooked figure' that may 
stand for a million is probably the figure '1/ which 
was a very crooked figure as the Elizabethans wrote it. 

Prol. 29. jumping o'er times. The action of the 
play covers a period of six years, from 1414 to 1420. 

Prol. 32. Chorus. This term, an inheritance from 
the drama of Greece and Rome, is used by Shake- 
speare simply as a name by which to designate the 
speaker of his prologues; i.e., a single actor. 

I. i. S. d. Bishops. The stage directions of the 
Folio do not discriminate between the titles of Arch- 
bishop and Bishop either here or in the second scene. 

I. i. 35. Hydra-headed. The Hydra of Lerna was 
a nine-headed monster slain by Hercules. When one 
head was struck off, two new ones grew in its place. 

I. i. 46. Gordian knot. An oracle had declared 
that he who untied this famous knot, tied by King 
Gordius of Phrygia, should rule over Asia. Alexander 
the Great cut the knot with his sword, declaring that 
he was destined to fulfill the oracle. 

I. i. 51. art. The word as used here means the 
application of theory to practice. King Henry, re- 
versing the usual process, appears to have learned the 
theory of statesmanship from practical endeavor. 



Henry the Fifth 123 

This, the Archbishop says, is strange, in view of the 
frivolity of his earlier years. 

I. i. 89. Edward. King Henry's claim to the 
French throne rested upon his descent from Philip IV 
of France. Henry's great-grandfather, Edward III 
of England, was the son of Isabella, daughter to 
Philip IV. Her three brothers died without male 
heirs. Upon the death of the third (Charles IV), 
Isabella claimed the French throne for her son 
Edward; but an assembly of French peers and 
barons barred the English king's claim, declaring that 
'no woman, nor therefore her son, could in accordance 
with custom succeed to the monarchy of France.' 
Later the doctrine thus enunciated became known as 
the Salic law. (Cf. I. ii. 38.) The crown of France 
passed to a younger branch of the French royal 
family of Capet. 

I. ii. 11. law Salique. The Salic law is stated, in 
Latin, in line 38 below. (See preceding note.) 

I. ii. 57. four hundred one-and-twenty years. In 
giving this figure, Shakespeare has perpetuated a mis- 
take in arithmetic made by Holinshed. Throughout 
this long historical lecture Shakespeare is following 
his source very closely. 

I. ii. 65. King Pepin. Pepin the Short, who 
usurped the throne of Childeric III in 751, was the 
first of the Carolingian family to take the title of 
King of the Franks. 

I. ii. 69. Hugh Capet. First king of the family of 
Capet, who came to the throne in 987. The 'Lady 
Lingare' of line 74 appears to have been a totally 
fictitious personage. Ritson, commenting on this pas- 
sage, says that 'these fictitious persons and pedigrees 
seem to have been devised by the English heralds.' 

I. ii. 77. Lewis the Tenth. It should be Lewis the 
Ninth (Saint Louis, 1214-1270). Shakespeare copies 
the error from Holinshed. 

I. ii. 94. Than amply to imbar their crooked titles. 



124 The Life of 

This line has been variously interpreted according to 
the meaning attached to the word 'imbar.' It appears 
most reasonable to translate the word as 'to bar in' or 
'to secure': The kings of France prefer to involve 
themselves in contradictions ('hide them in a net') 
rather than fully to secure their own titles by show- 
ing that although they are descended from the female, 
like King Henry, their claim is stronger than his. 

I. ii. 106-114. The Archbishop is alluding to the 
battle of Crecy, August 26, 1346. 

I. ii. 120. May-morn of his youth. King Henry 
was twenty-six years old. 

I. ii. 126. So hath your highness. 'Your highness 
hath indeed what they think and know you have.' 
(Malone.) The emphasis is upon hath. 

I. ii. 160. impounded. David Bruce, king of Scot- 
land, was taken prisoner by the English at Nevill's 
Cross, October 17, 1346. 

I. ii. 266. chaces. The word is a technical expres- 
sion from the old game of tennis, used of the second 
impact on the floor of a ball which the opponent had 
failed or declined to return. The value of the chace 
was determined by the nearness of the spot of impact 
to the end wall. If the opponent, on changing sides, 
could better the stroke by causing his ball to rebound 
nearer the wall, he scored the point; otherwise it was 
scored by the first player. Hence the word chaces 
came to be practically equivalent to 'points scored,' 
and Harry seems to use it figuratively in that sense in 
this passage. 

I. ii. 270. living hence. On account of his 'addic 
tion to courses vain' in his younger days, Henry lost 
his place at the royal council-table and became 'al- 
most an alien to the hearts of all the court.' (Cf. 
Henry IV, Part 1, III. ii. 32 ff.) In that sense h 
might be said to have been living in exile from his 
native royalty. 



Henry the Fifth 125 

II. Chor. 31, 32. Linger your patience on, etc. 
'Extend your patience, and we will overcome the ordi- 
nary limitations of distance and produce a play by 
pressing widely separated events into a narrow com- 
pass.' 

II. Chor. 41, 42. Bat, till . . . scene. The mean- 
ing is quite obvious here, in spite of the curiously per- 
verted construction: 'We shall shift our scene to 
Southampton ; but not until the king comes forth.' 

II. i. 6. there shall be smiles. Probably Nym 
means that when the time is ripe, the quarrel shall 
end in good humor. 

II. i. 11. there's an end. Nym's language is a 
patchwork of the current phrases of the day, which he 
uses without any particular regard to their relevancy: 
'that's the certain of it,' 'that is my rest,' 'things must 
be as they may,' 'there must be conclusions,' etc. 

II. i. 17. rest. A technical term in the old game of 
Primero, meaning 'stake' or 'wager.' 

II. i. 18. that is the rendezvous of it. This is but 
one more of Nym's current phrases, and it is< not 
necessary to suppose that it carries any more mean- 
ing than the others. 

II. i. 44. Iceland dog. Obviously Pistol means 
this to be a very scathing term of abuse. There are 
frequent references, in early seventeenth-century 
books, to the shaggy, snappish dogs brought over from 
Iceland to serve as lap-dogs. Whether Pistol had in 
mind their unhandsome appearance or their evil 
temper is uncertain. 

II. i. 57. Barbason. Nym, unimpressed by the 
sound and fury of Pistol's speech, assures him that he 
cannot dispose of him, as conjurers dealt with fiends, 
by uttering high-sounding words. 

II. i. 77. hound of Crete. Although some editors 
believe that Pistol means to imply that Nym is as 
bloodthirsty as a Cretan bloodhound, such an impli- 
cation seems far-fetched and out of place here. Like 



126 The Life of 

the 'Iceland dog' of line 44, the expression is merely 
a term of abuse without any precise application, and 
chosen for no particular reason, unless it be Pistol's 
artistic craving for variety. 

II. i. 79. powdering-tub. Literally, a tub in which 
meat was salted. Here it is used to denote the hot 
bath which formed part of the treatment for certain 
diseases. 

II. i. 80. kite of Cressid's hind. This expression 
appears to have been a stock phrase in the literature 
of the day. Both Gascoigne and Greene use it. 
Henryson's Testament of Cresseid had told of Cres- 
sid's transformation into a leperous beggar (lazar). 

II. i. 86. thy face. Bardolph's fiery complexion is j 
the subject of more than one jest in Henry IV. j 
Fluellen supplies us with further information on the 
same subject in III. vi. 110 ff. 

II. i. 124. quotidian tertian. Dame Pistol has been 
so pleased with the learned sound of these medical 
terms that she uses them without any knowledge of 
their meaning. As a result, she confuses the quotidian j 
fever, in which the paroxysms recur daily, with the 
tertian, in which the interval of recurrence is three 
days. 

II. i. 130. corroborate. Of course the literal mean- I 
ing of this word is quite inappropriate here; but that 
need not trouble us, as it obviously did not trouble 
Pistol, who uses it merely because it is a big word. 

II. i. 133. careers. A term used to designate gal- j 
loping a horse at full speed, backward and forward, j 
Probably 'passes some careers' is Nym's way of say- I 
ing 'Gives a free rein to his whims.' 

II. ii. 118. bade thee stand up. 'Commanded thee j 
to rise and do his bidding,' as one might give orders 2 
to a servant who could be relied upon for unquestion- | 
ing obedience. Possibly, like the word dub in line | 
120, this is an allusion to the formula used in con- 1 
ferring knighthood. 



Henry the Fifth 127 

II. ii. 155-157. For me . . . intended. 'Diuerse 
write that Richard earle of Cambridge did not con- 
spire with the lord Scroope and Thomas Graie for 
the murthering of king Henrie to please the French 
king withall, but onelie to the intent to exalt to the 
crowne his brother in law Edmund earle of March 
as heire to Lionell duke of Clarence: after the death 
of which earle of March . . . the earl of Cambridge 
was sure that the crowne should come to him by his 
wife, and to his children, of hir begotten.' (Holins- 
hed.) 

II. iii. 9. Arthur's bosom. Obviously the hostess 
means Abraham's bosom. Cf. St. Luke 16. 22. 

II. iii. 17, 18. and a' babbled of green fields. This 
is the famous emendation offered by Theobald (1688- 
1744) for the incomprehensible 'and a Table of greene 
fields' of the Folio. 

II. iv. S. d. Constable. The Constable of France, 
originally the principal officer of the household of the 
French kings, was at this time the commander-in-chief 
of the French army in the absence of the monarch. 

II. iv. 25. Whitsun morris-dance. Whitsuntide is 
the week commencing with Whitsunday (the seventh 
Sunday after Easter), especially the first three days 
of the week. The morris-dance was a fantastic dance 
which commonly formed part of the Whitsuntide fes- 
tivities in English villages. The name 'morris' is de- 
rived from 'Moorish' and would seem to indicate that 
the dance was imported from Spain. 

II. iv. 37. Brutus. The reference is to Lucius 
Junius Brutus, who simulated madness to conceal his 
plans for the liberation of his country from the tyr- 
anny of Tarquinius Superbus. 

II. iv. 50. flesh'd. Hounds and hawks, in train- 
ing for the chase, were fed with flesh. 

III. ii. 3. corporal. In Act II, Scene i, Bardolph 
is called 'Lieutenant.' 



128 The Life of 

III. ii. 6. plain-song. A simple melody without 
variations. 

III. ii. 65. the mines is not. It is hardly neces- 
sary to point out the many irregularities in Captain 
Fluellen's use of singulars and plurals. He takes 
similar liberties with actives and passives and with 
the verbs 'to be' and 'to have.' In his speeches, as in 
those of the Scotch and Irish officers, dialect pecu- 
liarities are not explained unless they present unusual 
difficulties. 

III. ii. 136-139. Of my . . . nation. Macmorris, 
who is of an excitable Celtic temperament, is quick to 
resent a fancied sneer at his country. 

III. v. 7. scions. This word originally denoted 
small twigs cut from one tree and grafted upon an- 
other. The Dauphin is referring, of course, to the 
Norman extraction of the English. 

III. v. 12. but. Grammatically the oath, 'Mort 
de ma vie,' governs this word. 'If these Englishmen 
march along uncontested, death take me if I do not 
sell my dukedom.' 

III. v. 36. Montjoy. Not a name, but a title, 
borne by the chief heralds of France through many 
centuries. It is probable, however, that Shakespeare 
himself supposed that it was a name. Cf. III. vi. 150. 

III. vi. S. d. English and Welch. The use of 
these words as synonyms for the names of Gower and 
Fluellen emphasizes Shakespeare's intention of repre- 
senting national types in these captains. 

III. vi. 13. aunchient lieutenant. Fluellen, with 
characteristic redundancy, gives Pistol two different 
titles. 

III. vi. 42. pax. Perhaps this is a mistake for 
'pyx,' the box containing the Host or consecrated 
wafer of the Mass. To steal a pyx would be a very 
serious sacrilege, and we know that on this expedition 
King Henry ordered a man hanged for such a theft. 
The pax, on the other hand, was a less sacred object — 



Henry the Fifth 129 

the piece of wood or metal, engraved with the picture 
of Christ, which was given to the laity to be kissed 
during the celebration of the Mass. 

III. vi. 62. The fig of Spain. Pistol merely re- 
peats and elaborates the exclamation of line 59. 
'Figo' was the Spanish word for 'fig.' 

III. vii. 14. as if his entrails were hairs. The 
tennis balls of the day were stuffed with hair. Cf. 
Much Ado About Nothing, III. ii. 46, 47. 

III. vii. 19. pipe of Hermes. Hermes, by playing 
on his pipe, charmed the hundred-eyed Argus to sleep. 

III. vii. 71, 72. 'The dog is turned to his own vomit 
again ; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing 
in the mire.' (2 Peter 2. 22.) 

III. vii. 98. go to hazard. Shakespeare adopts 
this incident from Holinshed. 'The Frenchmen in the 
meanewhile, as though they had beene sure of vic- 
torie, made great triumphe, for the capteins had deter- 
mined before how to diuide the spoile, and the soldiers 
the night before had plaid the Englishmen at dice.' 

III. vii. 126. 'tis a hooded valour. This is a meta- 
phor drawn from falconry. The hawk was kept 
hooded till it was released to fly at the game. 'To 
bate' was to flap the wings, as the hawk invariably 
did, after being unhooded, preparatory to flight. 
Probably the Constable uses this word punningly with 
a play upon another meaning of 'bate' : to dwindle, to 
diminish. 

IV. i. 55. Saint Davy's day. It was an old Welsh 
custom to wear a leek upon Saint David's day to 
commemorate the victory said to have been won by 
King Arthur over the Saxons on Saint David's day 
in the year 540 A. D. It is the tradition that the 
battle was fought in a garden where leeks were grow- 
ing and that Saint David ordered Arthur's soldiers to 
wear the leek in honour of the victory. Shakespeare 



130 The Life of 

refers to this custom in two other passages in this 
play: IV. vi. 102 ff. and V. i. 74. 

IV. i. 246. French crowns. There is a double pun 
here: a play upon two different meanings of 'crown/ 
and an allusion to the crime of clipping gold coins. 

IV. i. 283. The farced title. Perhaps there is an 
allusion here to the herald that goes before the king 
and proclaims his full title in high-sounding phrases. 
More probably running 'fore means 'prefixed to' the 
name of the king. 

IV. i. 321. chantries. Originally a chantry was 
an endowment for the maintenance of one or more 
priests to sing daily mass for the souls of the founders 
or others specified by them. Later it came to mean 
a chapel, altar, or part of a church so endowed. 

IV. i. 323-325. Though all that I can do, etc. King 
Henry acknowledges that such works of piety as 
the founding of chantries have availed him noth- 
ing; not by such means can he cleanse his conscience 
of the sense of guilt. After all that he can do, he 
must still penitently implore pardon. 

IV. ii. 36. dare the field. Another phrase bor- 
rowed from the terminology of falconry. The bird 
was said to be 'dared' when it was so terrified by the 
hawk that it kept close to the ground. 

IV. ii. 60, 61. The French 'thought themselues so 
sure of victorie, that diuerse of the noble men made 
such hast towards the battell, that they left manie of 
their seruants and men of warre behind them, and 
some of them would not once staie for their standards : 
as, amongst other, the duke of Brabant, when his 
standard was not come, caused a baner to be taken 
from a trumpet and fastened to a speare; the which 
he commanded to be borne before him in steed of his 
standard.' (Holinshed.) 

IV. iii. 57. Crispin Crispian. Saint Crispin's day 
was sacred to two brothers, Crispinus and Crispianus, 



Henry the Fifth 131 

who were martyred for their faith at Soissons early 
in the fourth century. 

IV. iv. S. d. Excursions. This stage direction in- 
dicates that small groups of armed men hurry across 
the stage as if in the heat of battle. 

IV. iv. 4. Qualtitie calmie custure me. This is the 
reading of the Folio. The passage is usually emended 
to read, 'Quality? Calen O custure me!' The last 
four words in this amended reading form the refrain 
of a popular Irish song of Shakespeare's day and are 
a corruption of the Irish phrase, 'Colleen, oge asture,' 
i.e., 'young girl, my treasure.' According to this con- 
jecture, Pistol repeats the only word he has under- 
stood in the French gentleman's speech and follows 
it by quoting, with characteristic irrelevancy, the 
burden of this popular song. The present editor has 
restored the Folio reading because the resemblance 
between Pistol's words and the burden of the song 
is not close enough to be altogether convincing; but 
the theory represents the most satisfactory explana- 
tion that has been offered. C. D. Stewart (Some 
Textual Difficulties in Shakespeare, Yale University 
Press, 1914, pp. 71-74) argues that Pistol is trying to 
talk French: 'Quel titre comme accoster me.' 

IV. iv. 14. moys. Probably the French 'muys' or 
'muids,' a measure of corn, equal to five quarters Eng- 
lish measure. It has also been suggested that 'moys' 
were some sort of coin. 

IV. iv. 76. devil i the old play. This refers not 
to any particular play, but to the old Morality plays, 
in which the Devil was frequently the butt of the 
Vice or clown, who, armed with a wooden dagger, sub- 
jected him to all manner of physical indignities. The 
'roaring devil' in these plays presented just such a 
combination of braggadocio and cowardice as Pistol. 
. IV. vii. 104. in a garden. This is another refer- 
ence to the traditional Arthurian battle in the leek- 
garden. Cf. IV. i. 55 and note. 



132 The Life of 

IV. vii. 105. Monmouth caps. These caps were 
soft and flat, with a plume, and were worn particu- 
larly by soldiers. As their name indicates, they were 
originally made at Monmouth, where the cap-making 
industry appears to have flourished. 'The best caps 
were formerly made at Monmouth, where the Capper's 
Chapel doth still remain.' (Fuller, Worthies of 
Wales, 1660.) 

IV. viii. 128. Non nobis. This is the one hundred 
and fifteenth psalm, which begins, in the Latin ver- 
sion, 'Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo 
da gloriam.' 

V. Chor. 30. general. Robert Devereux, Earl of 
Essex, set out from London on March 27, 1599, to 
suppress Tyrone's rebellion in Ireland. (Cf. Appen- 
dix B.) His return was by no means the triumph 
which Shakespeare prophesies in these lines. He mis- 
managed his campaign most conspicuously, frequently 
acting in opposition to the commands of the queen, 
and finally concluded a truce with Tyrone in Septem- 
ber in order that he might be free to return to London 
and vindicate himself before the queen. In the fol- 
lowing June he was called before a special court to 
answer for his mismanagement of the mission and 
was deprived of his offices. 

V. Chor. 38. emperor's. In five lines the Chorus 
passes over the events of four years. Emperor Sigis- 
mund landed at Dover on May 1, 1416, about six 
months after the battle of Agincourt, and immediately 
set about his task of making peace between England 
and France; but it was not until May, 1420, that the 
peace treaty was signed. Shakespeare makes no 
reference to Henry's second military expedition to 
France and the long siege of Rouen. 

V. ii. 17. basilisks. The basilisk cannon was 
named after a fabulous serpent, the basilisk or cocka- 
trice, that was said to kill its victims with a glance. 



Henry the Fifth 133 

V. ii. 138. measure. Shakespeare frequently plays 
on the various meanings of this word. Here he first 
uses the word in the sense of 'metre'; secondly, of 
'dancing'; and thirdly, of 'amount.' 

V. ii. 155. let thine eye be thy cook. Let thine eye 
dress me in attractions to suit thy taste. 

•V. ii. 160. uncoined constancy. Henry means that 
his love has not been stamped out into the form of 
glib phrases such as pass current among more accom- 
plished but less sincere lovers. 

V. ii. 262. broken music. 'Part music,' arranged 
for different kinds of instruments. 

V. ii. 318. circle. The making of a circle was part 
of the elaborate preparations of conjurers for the 
exercise of their magic. Within the circle the con- 
jurer was supposed to be immune from the baleful 
influences of the evil spirits that he raised. 

V. ii. 347. perspectively. As through a 'perspec- 
tive/ i.e., an instrument producing fantastic optical 
illusions. 

V. ii. 369. Pro? claris simus. Once more Shake- 
speare has copied one of Holinshed's errors. The 
word should be 'praecarissimus,' the Latin equivalent 
for the French 'tres cher.' 



APPENDIX A 

Sources of the Play 

Virtually all the historical material for Henry V 
was drawn from Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of 
England, Scotland, and Ireland (Second Edition, 
1587). A few minor incidents — the embassy of the 
tennis balls, Pistol's encounter with the French sol- 
dier, and the wooing scene of Act V — seem to have 
been suggested by the crude old chronicle play, The 
Famous Victories of Henry V, licensed for the press 
in 1594. The characters of the sub-plot — Pistol, 
Fluellen, and the rest — are entirely original. 

Shakespeare follows Holinshed almost word for 
word in certain passages of the play; particularly in 
the account of the bill against the clergy, in the Arch- 
bishop's argument in favor of Henry's claim to the 
French throne, and in the list of the casualties at the 
battle of Agincourt. More typical of his usual treat- 
ment of his sources are the passages in which he has 
caught up a suggestion or two from the prosy chron- 
icle and transformed them into glowing poetry. The 
following quotation from Holinshed, for example, 
contains the only hints which Shakespeare found in 
his source for King Henry's stirring appeal to his 
officers on the morning of Saint Crispin's day: 

'It is said, that as he heard one of the host vtter his 
wish to another thus : I would to God there were with 
vs now so manie good soldiers as are at this houre 
within England! the king answered: I would not wish 
a man more here than I haue; we are indeed in com- 
parison to the enimies but a few, but if God of his 
clemencie doo fauour vs, and our iust cause, (as I 
trust he will,) we shall speed well inough. But let 
no man ascribe victorie to our owne strength and 



Henry the Fifth 135 

might, but onelie to God's assistance; to whome I 
haue no doubt we shall worthilie haue cause to giue 
thanks therefore. And if so be that for our offenses 
sakes we shall be deliuered into the hands of our 
enimies, the lesse number we be, the lesse damage 
shall the realme of England susteine; but if we should 
fight in trust of multitude of men, and so get the 
victorie, (our minds being prone to pride,) we should 
therevpon peraduenture ascribe the victorie not so 
much to the gift of God, as to our owne puissance, 
and thereby prouoke his high indignation and dis- 
pleasure against vs: and if the enimie get the vpper 
hand, then should our realme and countrie suffer 
more damage and stand in further danger. But be 
you of good comfort, and shew your selues valiant! 
God and our iust quarrell shall defend vs, and deliuer 
these our proud aduersaries with all the multitude of 
them which you see (or at the least the most of them) 
into our hands.' 



APPENDIX B 

The History of the Play 

The production of Henry V has been assigned, on 
very substantial evidence, to the year 1599. Francis 
Meres, giving a list of Shakespeare's plays in a book 
published in 1598, makes no mention of Henry V, 
although his list includes Henry IV. The play was 
entered on the Stationers' Register in August, 1600, 
and the first edition was published in that year. The 
reference to the 'wooden O' in line 1 3 of the Prologue 
is usually supposed to be an allusion to the Globe 
Theatre, which was completed in 1599. Most sig- 
nificant of all, the lines in the Prologue to Act V 
referring to the Earl of Essex must have been written 



136 The Life of 

and spoken during the earl's absence in Ireland, which 
extended from March 27 until September 28, 1599. 

Three very imperfect editions of the play appeared 
prior to the publication of the First Folio in 1623. 
The First Quarto (1600) omits all the prologues, the 
epilogue, and several entire scenes. These and other 
omissions, notably in the long speeches, which are 
much curtailed, shorten the play by some seventeen 
hundred lines. The errors and absurdities of the edi- 
tion are many; particularly in the scenes written in 
French (which is very 'fausse French' indeed as it 
appears in this volume), and in the prose scenes, 
where an heroic attempt has been made to transform 
the prose into poetry. It is now generally believed 
that the First Quarto is an imperfect edition of a 
shortened acting version of the play, and it may 
have been made up for the press largely from notes 
taken in the theatre during a performance. The 
Second Quarto (1602) and the Third Quarto, dated 
1608, but really printed in 1619, are reprints of the 
edition of 1600, very slightly amended and without 
independent value. Modern editors accept the text , 
of the First Folio (1623) as the most reliable, and 
have adopted the reading of the Quartos in only a 
few instances. 

A funeral elegy on Richard Burbage, Shakespeare's 
most famous fellow actor, gives us the information 
that the part of King Flenry was one in which Bur- 
bage won distinction. The unknown writer laments: 

Poor Romeo never more shall tears beget 

For Juliet's love and cruel Capulet; 

Harry shall not be seen as king or prince, 

They died with thee, dear Dick (and not long since.) 

This is the only bit of information we have as to the 
early stage history of Henry V. The records of Sir 
Henry Herbert show that a play entitled 'Henry the 
5th' was licensed for the stage in 1663, but it is not 



Henry the Fifth 137 

certain that this record refers to Shakespeare's play. 
We have positive record of a performance given at 
Covent Garden Theatre, February 23, 1738. Seven 
years later, at the time of the last Jacobite rising, the 
play was once more presented at the same theatre, 
perhaps by way of stirring the patriotism of the Lon- 
doners at a time when the Scots were marching on 
the city and France was supposed to be preparing to 
invade England. In this latter performance, the part 
of Pistol was played by the younger Cibber. Garrick 
presented the play at Drury Lane on December 16, 
1747, but left the part of King Henry to Barry, ap- 
pearing himself as the Chorus, in the costume of the 
day — 'a full-dress court suit with powdered bag-wig, 
ruffles, and sword.' 

Under the lavish management of Rich, Covent 
Garden gave a very elaborate production in 1761, in- 
cluding an interpolated scene, borrowed from Henry 
IV, Part 2, representing the coronation procession. 
The popular actress, George Anne Bellamy, walked 
in the procession as Queen. Another spectacular 
touch was added in the revival of 1769 at the same 
theatre by the introduction of the Champion (of the 
coronation ceremony) in full armor and on horse- 
back. Drury Lane revived the play for the first time 
in twenty j^ears in 1789, with John Philip Kemble as 
Henry; and the same actor performed the part from 
time to time during his career. He secured a telling 
stage effect at the close of Act IV by suddenly inter- 
rupting his prayer, at the sound of the trumpet, and 
rushing off the stage sword in hand. On March 8, 
1830, Edmund Kean appeared at Drury Lane in the 
role of King Henry. His memory failed him during 
the performance and he was obliged to apologize to 
the audience from the stage. During the nineteenth 
century the play was performed also by William 
Macready, Samuel Phelps and Charles Kean. The 
production given by the latter at the Princess's 



138 Henry the Fifth 

Theatre in 1859 was a very ambitious undertaking 
and met with so great a success that the play ran to 
eighty-four performances. Kean attached a great 
deal of importance to historical accuracy. His set- 
ting for the siege of Harfleur was constructed after 
careful study of a Latin manuscript giving an account 
of the siege as seen by a priest who accompanied the 
army. A further spectacular effect was secured by 
transforming the description of Henry's return to 
London, as given by the Chorus, into an actual stage 
spectacle. Mrs. Charles Kean recited the prologues 
in the character of Clio, Muse of History. The most 
conspicuous production in England during the 
twentieth century was given by Lewis Waller at the 
Lyceum Theatre in 1900, at the time when the Boer 
war had stimulated British patriotism. Lily Hanbury 
appeared as Chorus in Waller's production. 

In America, the first performance of the play of 
which we have any record took place at the Park 
Theatre in New York in 1804, with Cooper as King 
Henry. Macready and Waller brought their produc- 
tions to this country from England, the latter in 1912. 
In 1876 John Coleman produced the play in New 
York at great expense, but it ran for only a week. 
Most noteworthy of the American performances is 
Richard Mansfield's magnificent presentation in 1900. 
The production opened at the Garden Theatre, New 
York City, October 3, after the most elaborate prepa- 
rations, and had a very successful run, playing to 
crowded houses in New York, Philadelphia, and 
Chicago. Mansfield stated that he was led to produce 
the play by 'a consideration of its healthy and virile 
tone, so diametrically in contrast to many of the per- 
formances now current.' 

A great memorial performance of Henry V in 
London, May 4, 1916, attracted a 'full and enthu- 
siastic' house, and evoked comments upon the con- 
temporaneous effect of many scenes. 



APPENDIX C 

The Text of the Present Edition 

By permission of the Oxford University Press, the 
text of this edition of Henry V is that of Craig's 
Oxford Shakespeare, with the following alterations: 

1. The stage directions are those of the First Folio, 
with necessary additions indicated by brackets. 

2. French passages throughout the play have in 
general been modernized. 

3. A few changes have been made in punctuation 
(such as what, man for what man in II. iii. 19) ; and 
the spelling of the following words has been nor- 
malized: warlike, ooze, ordnance, antics, villainy, 
wrecked, lackey, embattl'd. 

4. All other departures from Craig's text repre- 
sent reversions to the reading of the First Folio. In 
the following list of such changes, the reading of the 
present edition stands first in the line: the reading of 
the Oxford Shakespeare follows the colon. 

I. ii. 22 our: the 

I. ii. 30 For: And 

I. ii. 74 th' heir: heir 

I. ii. 99 man: son 

I. ii. 151 assays: essays 

I.ii.208 Come: Fly 

II. Chor. 31 on, and we'll: on; and well 

II. Chor. 32 distance; force: distance while we force 

II. i. 75 Couple a gorge: Coupe le gorge 
II. ii. 104 and: from 

II. ii. 179, 180 give You patience: give you Patience 

II. iv. 1 comes: come 

II. iv. 57 mountain sire: mounting sire 
II. iv. 75, 115 brother of: brother 

III. i. 34 Harry, England, and: Harry! England 
and 

III. ii. 50, 51 fire-shovel: I knew . . . coals. They: 
fire-shovel; — I knew . . . coals — they 



140 Henry the Fifth 

III. ii. 69 yard: yards 

III. ii. 79 beard: peard 

III. ii. 120 call: calls 

III. ii. 129 pay 't: pay it 

III. ii. 145, 157 war: wars 

III. v. 41 of Berri: Berri 

III. vii. 15 chez: qui a 
III.vii.54 Nay, for: Ma foi, 

IV. Chor. 28 O now: O ! now 

IV. Chor. 45 fear, that mean and gentle all: fear. — 
Then mean and gentle all, 

I V. i. 35 Che vous la: Qui va la 

IV. i. 47 from heart-string: from my heart-string 

IV. i. 77 hear: heard 

IV. i. 154 who: whom 
IV. i. 260 idol: idle 
IV. i. 312 Lord,: Lord! 

I V. ii. 49 gimmal'd: gimmal 

IV. iv. 4 Qualtitie calmie custure me: Quality? 

Calen O custure me! 

IV.iv.39 Owy: Ouy 

IV. vi. 15 He cries aloud, 'Tarry, my: And cries 

aloud, 'Tarry, dear 

IV. vii. 7 ha': have 
IV. vii. 167 and: an 

IV. viii. 10 world: 'orld 

IV. viii. 37, 38 and will avouchment : and avouchments 

IV. viii. 100 Great Master . . . Guichard . . . Dolphin: 
Great-master . . . Guischard . . . Dau- 
phin 

IV. viii. 101 Anthony: Antony 

IV. viii. 130 And then: We'll then 

V. i. 7 world : 'orld 

V. i. 39 leek, vou : leek you 

V.i.86 Doll: 'Nell 

V. i. 90 cudgell'd : cudgelled 

V. ii. 40 it: its 

V. ii. 54 all: as 

V. ii. 55 wildness. : wildness, 

V. ii. 102 shall: sail 
V. ii. 108 wat: vat 
V. ii. 135 well: veil 
V. ii. 186 wat: vat 
V. ii. 266 shall: sail 
V. ii. 269 shall: sail 
V. ii. 283 wat: vat 



APPENDIX D 
Suggestions for Collateral Reading 

Thomas Carlyle in Heroes and Hero-worship 
(1840). The Hero as Poet. 

Edward Dowden in Shakspere: His Mind and Art 
(1875). Chapter IV. 

Beverly E. Warner in English History in Shake- 
speare's Plays (1894). Chapter V. 

William Butler Yeats in Ideas of Good and Evil 
(1903). Essay entitled At Stratford-on-Avon. 

John Masefield in William Shakespeare (1911). 
Henry V. 

J. W. Cunliffe: The Character of Henry V. as 
Prince and King (1916). In Shaksperian Studies, 
Columbia University Press, 1916, pp. 313-331. 



INDEX OF WORDS GLOSSED 



(Figures in full-faced type refer to page-numbers) 



a': 31 (II. iii. 11) 
absolute: 61 (III. vii. 27) 
abutting: 1 (I. Chor. 21) 
accept: 111 (V. ii. 82) 
accomplishing: 66 (IV. 

Chor. 12) 
accompt: 1 (I. Chor. 17) 
accord: 26 (II. ii. 86) 
achieve: 85 (IV. iii. 91) 
addition: 120 (V. ii. 367) 
addrest: 48 (III. iii. 58) 
admiration: 27 (II. ii. 108) 
advance: 30 (II. ii. 192) 
advantages: 83 (IV. iii. 50) 
advice, his more: 25 (II. ii. 

43) 
advis'd, be: 14 (I. ii. 251) 
affiance: 28 (II. ii. 127) 
alarum: 39 (III. Chor. S. d.) 
all proportion of subjection: 

73 (IV. i. 154, 155) 
an (if): 22 (II. i. 107) 
an (as if): 31 (II. iii. 11) 
ancient: 18 (II. i. 3) 
antics: 42 (III. ii. 34) 
apprehension: 65 (III. vii. 

150) 
approbation: 6 (I. ii. 19) 
apt: 26 (II. ii. 86) 
arbitrement: 73 (IV. i. 170) 
argument (subject of con- 
tention): 40 (III. i. 21) 
argument (theme): 61 (III. 

vii. 37) 
argument (business) : 73 

(IV. i. 151) 
art: 4 (I. i. 51) 
as: 44 (III. ii. 78) 



as may unworthiness de- 
fine: 67 (IV. Chor. 46) 
assays: 11 (I. ii. 151) 
astonished: 106 (V. i. 40) 
at one: 114 (V. ii. 203, 204) 
attest: 1 (I. Chor. 16) 
avouch: 107 (V. i. 77) 
avouchment: 99 (IV. viii. 

38) 
awkward: 36 (II. iv. 85) 

ball: 77 (IV. i. 280) 
balm: 77 (IV. i. 280) 
bar: 109 (V. ii. 27) 
Barbason: 20 (II. i. 57) 
barley-broth: 51 (III. v. 19) 
Bartholomew-tide: 119 (V. 

ii. 335) 
basilisks: 108 (V. ii. 17) 
battle (army): 66 (IV. 

Chor. 9) 
battle (battle lines): 81 

(IV. iii. 2) 
bawcock: 42 (III. ii. 27) 
beadle: 74 (IV. i. 180) 
beaver: 80 (IV. ii. 44) 
become: 6 (I. ii. 8) 
bedlam: 105 (V. i. 20) 
bent: 108 (V. ii. 16) 
beseeched: 45 (III. ii. 119) 
beshrew: 116 (V. ii. 240) 
best indu'd: 28 (II. ii. 139) 
bestow yourself: 84 (IV. iii. 

68) 
blood: 28 (II. ii. 133) 
blown: 59 (III. vi. 164) 
bolted: 28 (II. ii. 137) 
book: 94 (IV. vii. 77) 



Henry the Fifth 



143 



bootless: 47 (III. iii. 24) 
bound my horse: 113 (V. ii. 

145) 
bowels, in the: 37 (II. iv. 

102) 
brave: 38 (III. Chor. 5) 
bravely: 84 (IV. iii. 69) 
break: 116 (V. ii. 264) 
breath: 38 (II. iv. 145) 
bring: 30 (II. iii. 2) 
broached: 104 (V. Chor. 32) 
broken music: 116 (V. ii. 

262) 
bubukles: 57 (III. vi. Ill) 
buffet: 113 (V. ii. 145) 
bully: 69 (IV. i. 48) 
but: 51 (III. v. 12) 
but in purged judgment: 28 

(II. ii. 136) 
buxom: 54 (III. vi. 27) 
by and by: 23 (II. ii. 2) 

Cadwallader: 105 (V. i. 29) 
capital: 111 (V. ii. 96) 
careers: 23 (II. i. 133) 
careful: 76 (IV. i. 251) 
carefully, more than: 33 (II. 

iv. 2) 
carry coals: 43 (III. ii. 51) 
case: 41 (III. ii. 5) 
casted slough: 68 (IV. i. 23) 
cause of policv: 4 (I. i. 45) 
caveto: 32 (II. iii. 56) 
ceremonies: 71 (IV. i. 110) 
chaces: 15 (I. ii. 266) 
chambers: 39 (III. Chor. 

S. d.) 
charge: 6 (I. ii. 15) 
Charlemain: 8 (I. ii. 75) 
Charles the Great: 7 (I. ii. 

46) 
charter'd: 4 (I. i. 48) 
che vous la: 69 (IV. i. 35) 
Cheshu: 43 (III. ii. 69) 
chez: 60 (III. vii. 15) 
Chorus: 2 (I. Chor. 32) 
christom: 31 (II. iii. 12) 



chuck: 42 (III. ii. 27) 

civil: 13 (I. ii. 199) 

clear thv crystals: 32 (II. 

iii. 57) 
close: 12 (I. ii. 182) 
closet: 115 (V. ii. 210) 
comes o'er: 15 (I. ii. 267) 
companies: 4 (I. i. 55) 
compassing: 78 (IV. i. 314) 
complement: 28 (II. ii. 134) 
compound (decide) : 22 (II. 

i. 103) 
compound (come to terms) : 

84 (IV. iii. 80) 
condition: 107 (V. i. 84) 
condole: 23 (II. i. 134) 
confounded: 40 (III. i. 13) 
congreeing: 12 (I. ii. 182) 
congreeted: 109 (V. ii. 31) 
conscience: 72 (IV. i. 124) 
consent: 12 (I. ii. 181) 
consideration: 3 (I. i. 28) 
consign: 111 (V. ii. 90) 
contemplation: 4 (I. i. 63) 
contrived: 73 (IV. i. 173) 
convey'd: 8 (I. ii. 74) 
convoy: 83 (IV. iii. 37) 
copy: 40 (III. i. 24) 
corantos: 52 (III. v. 33) 
couch: 80 (IV. ii. 37) 
coulter: 109 (V. ii. 46) 
couple a gorge: 21 (II. i. 

75) 
coursing: 11 (I. ii. 143) 
cousin: 6 (I. ii. 4) 
coxcomb: 106 (V. i. 45) 
coz: 82 (IV. iii. 30) 
crescive in his faculty: 4 

(I. i. 66) 
Crispian, feast of: 83 (IV. 

iii. 40) 
crush'd: 12 (I. ii. 175) 
cue, upon our: 58 (III. vi. 

134) 
cullions: 42 (III. ii. 23) 
cunning: 113 (V. ii. 149) 
currance: 3 (I. i. 34) 



144 



The Life of 



cursorary: 110 (V. ii. 77) 
curtains: 80 (IV. ii. 41) 
curtal-axe: 80 (IV. ii. 21) 
curtsy: 117 (V. ii. 291) 

dare: 80 (IV. ii. 36) 
darnel: 109 (V. ii. 45) 
dear: 30 (II. ii. 181) 
decoct: 52 (III. v. 20) 
defensible: 48 (III. iii. 50) 
defunction: 8 (I. ii. 58) 
deliver: 59 (III. vi. 179) 
deracinate: 109 (V. ii. 47) 
desire: 68 (IV. i. 27) 
diffus'd: 110 (V. ii. 61) 
discover'd: 29 (II. ii. 151) 
discuss: 43 (III. ii. 67) 
dishonest: 7 (I. ii. 49) 
distressful: 77 (IV. i. 290) 
dout: 79 (IV. ii. 11) 
down-roping: 81 (IV. ii. 48) 
drench: 51 (III. v. 19) 
dress us: 68 (IV. i. 10) 

earnest: 29 (II. ii. 169) 
elder-gun: 75 (IV. i. 213) 
element: 71 (IV. i. 108) 
embassy: 5 (I. i. 95) 
empery: 13 (I. ii. 226) 
emptying: 51 (III. v. 6) 
England: 33 (II. iv. 9) 
englutted: 84 (IV. iii. 83) 
enlarge: 25 (II. ii. 40) 
enlink'd to: 47 (III. iii. 18) 
enrounded: 67 (IV. Chor. 

36) 
enschedul'd: 110 (V. ii. 73) 
estate: 71 (IV. i. 100) 
even of it: 23 (II. i. 128) 
even-pleach'd: 109 (V. ii. 

42) 
evenly deriv'd: 36 (II. iv. 

91) 
exception: 34 (II. iv. 34) 
excursions: 86 (IV. iv. S. d.) 
executors: 13 (I. ii. 203) 
exhale: 20 (II. i. 66) 



exhibiters: 5 (I. i. 74) 
expedience: 84 (IV. iii. 70) 
expedition: 30 (II. ii. 191) 

faced out of my way: 63 

(III. vii. 95) 
fair time of day: 108 (V. 

ii. 3) 
fall: 113 (V. ii. 167) 
farced: 77 (IV. i. 283) 
fatal and neglected: 33 (II. 

iv. 13) 
fate: 35 (II. iv. 64) 
favour: 110 (V. ii. 63) 
fear'd: 11 (I. ii. 155) 
fell feats: 47 (III. iii. 17) 
fellow with: 116 (V. ii. 260) 
ferret: 87 (IV. iv. 30) 
fet: 40 (III. i. 18) 
figo: 55 (III. vi. 60) 
figures: 93 (IV. vii. 35) 
find: 8 (I. ii. 72) 
fin'd: 94 (IV. vii. 73) 
firk: 87 (IV. iv. 29) 
flesh'd: 47 (III. iii. 11) 
flesh'd, been: 35 (II. iv. 50) 
floods: 7 (I. ii. 45) 
nourish: 17 (II. Chor. S. d.) 
flower-de-luce: 115 (V. ii. 

223) 
for (for want of) : 10 (I. ii. 

114) 
for (instead of): 53 (III. v. 

60) 
fore-hand: 77 (IV. i. 300) 
forespent: 34 (II. iv. 36) 
fox: 87 (IV. iv. 9) 
fracted: 23 (II. i. 130) 
France: 17 (II. Chor. 20) 
freely: 14 (I. ii. 231) 
French hose: 62 (III. vii. 59, 

60) 
from: 56 (III. vi. 94) 
from the answer of his de- 
gree: 96 (IV. vii. 143) 
full-fraught: 28 (II. ii. 139) 
fumitory: 109 (V. ii. 45) 



Henry the Fifth 



145 



gage: 75 (IV. i. 226) 
galled: 40 (III. i. 12) 
galliard: 15 (I. ii. 252) 
galling: 107 (V. i. 78) 
garb: 107 (V. i. 81) 
gentle his condition: 84 (IV. 

iii. 63) 
gesture: 66 (IV. Chor. 25) 
giddy: 11 (I. ii. 145) 
gilt: 18 (II. Chor. 26) 
gimmal'd: 81 (IV. ii. 49) 
gipes: 93 (IV. vii. 53) 
girded: 39 (III. Chor. 27) 
gleeking: 107 (V. i. 78) 
glistering: 28 (II. ii. 117) 
gloze: 7 (I. ii. 40) 
go about: 75 (IV. i. 215) 
go to hazard: 63 (III. vii. 

98) 
God before: 16 (I. ii. 307) 
God-den: 44 (III. ii. 93) 
good sort: 101 (IV. viii. 80) 
grace of kings: 18 (II. 

Chor. 28) 
grandfather: 95 (IV. vii. 

96) 
grant: 103 (V. Chor. 7) 
great sort: 96 (IV. vii. 143) 
greener: 38 (II. iv. 136) 
greenly: 113 (V. ii. 148) 
groat: 106 (V. i. 62) 
grosslv: 27 (II. ii. 107) 
gulf: 33 (II. iv. 10) 
gull: 56 (III. vi. 72) 
gun-stones: 16 (I. ii. 



habit: 57 (III. vi. 124) 
had: 77 (IV. i. 300) 
haggled: 91 (IV. vi. 11) 
Hampton: 27 (II. ii. 91) 
handle: 32 (II. iii. 39) 
hard-favour'd: 40 (III. i. 8) 
hazard: 15 (I. ii. 263) 
head, in: 24 (II. ii. 18) 
heady: 3 (I. i. 34) ; 47 (III. 

iii. 32) 
hearts: 78 (IV. i. 312) 



help Hyperion to his horse: 

77 (IV. i. 295) 
hilding: 80 (IV. ii. 29) 
his: 3(1. i. 36) 
honour-owing: 91 (IV. vi. 9) 
housewifery: 33 (II. iii. 66) 
humorous: 34 (II. iv. 28) 
huswife: 107 (V. i. 85) 
Hydra-headed: 3 (I. i. 35) 

imaginary: 1 (I. Chor. 18) 
imagin'd wing: 38 (III. 

Chor. 1) 
imp: 69 (IV. i. 45) 
impawn: 7 (I. ii. 21) 
impeachment: 59 (III. vi. 

154) 
impounded: 11 (I. ii. 160) 
in few: 14 (I. ii. 245) 
in fresher robes: 86 (IV. iii. 

117) 
in lieu of: 15 (I. ii. 255) 
indirectly: 36 (II. iv. 94) 
instance: 28 (II. ii. 119) 
intelligence: 17 (II. Chor. 

12) 
intendment: 11 (I. ii. 144) 
intertissued: 77 (IV. i. 282) 
investing: 66 (IV. Chor. 26) 
irreconciled: 73 (IV. i. 162) 
is come after: 93 (IV. vii. 

34, 35) 
is pear: 99 (IV. viii. 37) 
issue: 91 (IV. vi. 34) 
it: 109 (V. ii. 40) 

jack-an-apes: 113 (V. ii. 

147) 
Jack-sauce: 97 (IV. vii. 149) 
jades: 51 (III. v. 19) 
jealousy: 28 (II. ii. 126) 
Jewry: 48 (III. iii. 40) 
just notice: 96 (IV. vii. 123) 
jutty: 40 (III. i. 13) 

kecksies: 109 (V. ii. 52) 
kern: 62 (III. vii. 59) 



146 



The Life of 



kind: 17 (II. Chor. 19) 
kinsman: 70 (IV. i. 59) 

Lady: 20 (II. i. 38) 
larding: 91 (IV. vi. 8) 
late commissioners, the: 26 

(II. ii. 61) 
lavoltas: 52 (III. v. 33) 
layer-up: 116 (V. ii. 247) 
lazars: 3 (I. i. 15) 
leas: 109 (V. ii. 44) 
legerity: 68 (IV. i. 23) 
let: 110 (V. ii. 65) 
lewis his: 9 (I. ii. 88) 
li«r: 45 (III. ii. 128) 
like (adj.): 2 (I. i. 3) 
like (adv.): 30 (II. ii. 183) 
likes: 39 (III. Chor. 39) 
line (vb.): 33 (II. iv. 7) 
line (n.): 36 (II. iv. 88) 
lineal: 9 (I. ii. 82) 
linstock: 39 (III. Chor. 33) 
list (vb.): 3 (I. i. 43) 
list (n.): 117 (V. ii. 293) 
lob down: 81 (IV. ii. 47) 
lodging: 61 (III. vii. 34) 
'long: 36 (II. iv. 80) 
love: 97 (IV. vii. 167) 
lowliness: 100 (IV. viii. 55) 
luxurious: 87 (IV. iv. 20) 
luxury: 51 (III. v. 6) 

make boot upon: 12 (I. ii. 

194) 
man: 42 (III. ii. 33) 
marches: 11 (I. ii. 140) 
marry: 45 (III. ii. 115) 
masters: 38 (II. iv. 137) 
measure: 112 (V. ii. 138) 
meeter: 15 (I. ii. 254) 
member: 77 (IV. i. 301) 
men of mould: 42 (III. ii. 

24) 
mervailous: 20 (II. i. 50) 
mess: 45 (III. ii. 126) 
mettle of your pasture: 41 

(III. i. 27) 



mickle might: 21 (II. i. 70) 
minding: 67 (IV. Chor. 53) 
miscarry: 73 (IV. i. 157) 
miscreate: 6 (I. ii. 16) 
moiety: 115 (V. ii. 228) 
mortality: 7 (I. ii. 28) 
mortified: 3 (I. i. 26) 
mountain: 35 (II. iv. 57) 

name: 102 (TV. viii. 110) 
native: 73 (IV. i. 178) 
neighbourhood: 120 (V. ii. 

381) 
nicely: 6 (I. ii. 15) 
noble: 22 (II. i. 112) 
nook-shotten : 51 (III. v. 

14) 

odds: 38 (II. iv. 129) 
o'erblows: 47 (III. iii. 31) 
o'erwhelm: 40 (III. i. 11) 
of (against) : 31 (II. iii. 29) 
of (for): 48 (III. iii. 45) 
of (from): 58 (III. vi. 125) 
on heaps: 90 (IV. v. 18) 
opening: 6 (I. ii. 16) 
or: 6 (I. ii. 12); 13 (I. ii. 

225) 
order: 104 (V. Chor. 39) 
orisons: 25 (II. ii. 53) 
ostent: 103 (V. Chor. 21) 
out of doubt: 68 (IV. i. 20) 
out of his knowledge: 64 

(III. vii. 149) 
outwear: 81 (IV. ii. 63) 
over-lusty: 66 (IV. Chor. 

18) 
overbears attaint: 67 (IV. 

Chor. 39) 
overlook: 51 (III. v. 9) 
overshot: 64 (III. vii. 139) 

paction: 121 (V. ii. 393) 
pales in: 103 (V. Chor. 10) 
Parca: 105 (V. i. 21) 
parle: 47 (III. iii. 2) 



Henry the Fifth 



147 



parts (musical) : 12 (I. ii. 

181) 
parts (sides): 96 (IV. vii. 

124) 
pass: 18 (II. Chor. 39) 
passages (lines of succes- 
sion) : 5 (I. i. 86) 
passages (deeds) : 57 (III. 

vi. 100) 
pauca: 21 (II. i. 83) 
pax: 55 (III. vi. 42) 
pay: 74 (IV. i. 212) 
peasant best advantages: 

77 (IV. i. 304) 
peer: 95 (IV. vii. 89) 
peevish: 64 (III. vii. 147) 
perdition: 57 (III. vi. 106) 
perdurable: 89 (IV. v. 7) 
perdy: 20 (II. i. 52) 
peremptory: 111 (V. ii. 82) 
perpend: 87 (IV. iv. 8) 
perspectively: 119 (V. ii 

347) 
Pharamond: 7 (I. ii. 37) 
pioners: 44 (III. ii. 96) 
pitch and pay: 32 (II. iii. 

52) 
plain-song: 41 (III. ii. 6) 
play: 66 (IV. Chor. 19) 
pleasant: 15 (I. ii. 259) 
policy (wisdom): 13 (I. ii. 

220) 
policy (trickery): 17 (II. 

Chor. 14) 
popular: 69 (IV. i. 38) 
popularity: 4 (I. i. 59) 
poring: 66 (IV. Chor. 2) 
port: 1(1. Chor. 6) 
portage: 40 (III. i. 10) 
possess: 72 (IV. i. 116) 
powdering-tub : 21 (II. i. 

79) 
powers: 24 (II. ii. 15) 
prabbles: 100 (IV. viii. 69) 
practic: 4 (I. i. 51) 
preed no contention: 105 
(V. i. 11, 12) 



preposterously: 27 (II. ii. 

112) 
prescript: 61 (III. vii. 51) 
present: 35 (II. iv. 67) 
presentlv: 21 (II. i. 92) 
prey, in: 12 (I. ii. 169) 
proceeding on distemper: 

25 (II. ii. 54) 
projection: 35 (II. iv. 46> 
proportion: 27 (II. ii. 109) 
proportions: 10 (I. ii. 137); 

16 (I. ii. 304) 
puissant: 10 (I. ii. 116) 
purchase: 43 (III. ii. 46) 

quality: 58 (III. vi. 149) 
Qualtitie calmie custure me: 

87 (IV. iv. 4) 
question: 2 (I. i. 5) 
quick: 26 (II. ii. 79) 
quit: 29 (II. ii. 166) 
quittance: 25 (II. ii. 34) 
quotidian tertian: 23 (II. i. 

124) 

raueht: 91 (IV. vi. 21) 
rawly: 73 (IV. i. 149) 
re-answer: 58 (III. vi. 140) 
reduce: 110 (V. ii. 63) 
relapse of mortality: 85 

(IV. iii. 107) 
relish: 71 (IV. i. 115) 
requiring: 37 (II. iv. 101) 
resolved of: 6 (I. ii. 4) 
respect: 107 (V. i. 75) 
rest: 19 (II. i. 17) 
returns: 48 (III. iii. 46) 
rheumatic: 32 (II. iii. 40) 
rim: 87 (IV. iv. 15) 
rivage: 39 (III. Chor. 14) 
road: 10 (I. ii. 138) 
Roan: 53 (III. v. 54) 
robustious: 65 (III. vii. 164) 
roping: 52 (III. v. 23) 
round: 75 (IV. i. 219) 
rub: 30 (II. ii. 188) 



148 



The Life of 



sa': 45 (III. ii. 122) 
sack: 31 (II. iii. 29) 
sad-ey'd: 13 (I. ii. 202) 
Saint Davy's day: 69 (IV. 

i. 55) 
Saint Denis: 114 (V. ii. 192) 
Salique: 6 (I. ii. 11) 
sand: 71 (IV. i. 101) 
'Sblood: 98 (IV. viii. 9) 
scaffold: 1 (I. Chor. 10) 
scald: 104 (V. i. 5) 
scambling (adj.): 2 (I. i. 

4) 
scambling (n.) : 115 (V. ii. 

217) 
sconce: 56 (III. vi. 78) 
seat: 15 (I. ii. 269) 
second accent: 37 (II. iv. 

126) 
self: 2 (I. i. 1) 
sennet: 121 (V. ii. 402 S. d.) 
senses: 32 (II. iii. 52) 
sequestration: 4 (I. i. 58) 
set: 18 (II. Chor. 34) 
severals: 5 (I. i. 86) 
shales: 79 (IV. ii. 18) 
shog: 20 (II. i. 47) 
show: 28 (II. ii. 127) 
shows: 71 (IV. i. 108) 
shrewdly: 61 (III. vii. 55) 
signal: 103 (V. Chor. 21) 
signs: 30 (II. ii. 192) 
sinister: 36 (II. iv. 85) 
skirr: 94 (IV. vii. 65) 
slips, in the: 41 (III. i. 31) 
slovenry: 85 (IV. iii. 114) 
snatchers: 11 (I. ii. 143) 
sooth: 59 (III. vi. 154) 
sort: 104 (V. Chor. 25) 
sorts: 12 (I. ii. 190) 
speculation: 80 (IV. ii. 31) 
speed, be my: 114 (V. ii. 

193) 
spiritualty: 10 (I. ii. 132) 
spital: 21 (II. i. 78) 
sprays: 51 (III. v. 5) 
Staines: 30 (II. iii. 2) 



starts: 121 (Epil. 4) 
sternage, to: 39 (III. Chor. 

18) 
Still: 11 (I. ii. 145) ; 78 (IV. 

i. 322) 
stilly: 66 (IV. Chor. 5) 
stood on: 56 (III. vi. 80) 
stoop: 71 (IV. i. 113) 
straight: 30 (II. ii. 191) 
straight strossers: 62 (III. 

vii. 60) 
subscribed: 120 (V. ii. 363) 
suddenly: 111 (V. ii. 81) 
sufferance, by his: 25 (II. ii. 

46) 
sufferance, in: 29 (II. ii. 

159) 
suggest: 27 (II. ii. 114) 
supply, for the which: 2 (I. 

Chor. 31) 
sur-rein'd: 51 (III. v. 19) 
sutler: 22 (II. i. 116) 
swashers: 42 (III. ii. 31) 
swill'd with: 40 (III. i. 14) 
sympathize with: 65 (III. 

vii. 163) 

take: 20 (II. i. 55) 
tall: 21 (II. i. 72) 
Tartar: 28 (II. ii. 123) 
task: 6 (I. ii. 6) 
Tavy's: 95 (IV. vii. 109) 
temper: 113 (V. ii. 152) 
temper'd: 28 (II. ii. 118) 
tender: 30 (II. ii. 175) 
tenours: 110 (V. ii. 72) 
terms: 100 (IV. viii. 43) 
that: 4 (I. i. 47) 
them: 9 (I. ii. 93) 
theoric: 4 (I. i. 52) 
tike: 19 (II. i. 31) 
to: 62 (III. vii. 65) 
toward: 98 (IV. viii. 4) 
troth-plight: 19 (II. i. 21) 
Troyan: 105 (V. i. 20) 
trumpet: 81 (IV. ii. 61) 



Henry the Fifth 



149 



tucket: 57 (III. vi. 123 

S. d.) 
tucket sonance: 80 (IV. ii. 

35) 
tun: 15 (I. ii. 255) 
tway: 45 (III. ii. 132) 

umber'd: 66 (IV. Chor. 9) 
uncoined constancy: 113 (V. 

ii. 160) 
undid: 112 (V. ii. 137) 
unfurnish'd: 11 (I. ii. 148) 
ungotten: 16 (I. ii. 287) 
unprovided: 74 (IV. i. 186) 
unraised: 1 (I. Chor. 9) 
untempering: 116 (V. ii. 

239) 
unto the practices: 27 (II. 

ii. 90) 
upon: 5 (I. i. 76) 
upon example: 68 (IV. i. 19) 
upon our part: 5 (I. i. 73) 

vantage, of: 59 (III. vi. 156) 
vasty: 1 (I. Chor. 12) 
vaultages: 37 (II. iv. 124) 
vaward: 86 (IV. iii. 130) 
very casques, the: 1(1. Chor. 

13) 
via: 79 (IV. ii. 4) 



view: 109 (V. ii. 32) 
vigil: 83 (IV. iii. 45) 
vile: 83 (IV. iii. 62) 
voice: 27 (II. ii. 113) 
void his rheum: 53 (III. v. 

52) 
void: 94 (IV. vii. 63) 
vulgar: 94 (IV. vii. 81) 

wafer-cakes: 32 (II. iii. 54) 
war-proof: 40 (III. i. 18) 
waxen: 14 (I. ii. 233) 
whelks: 57 (III. vi. Ill) 
whiffler: 103 (V. Chor. 12) 
Whitsun morris-dance: 34 

(II. iv. 25) 
wink: 19 (II. i. 8) 
withal (with): 5 (I. i. 81) 
withal (therewith): 13 (I. 

ii. 216); 34 (II. iv. 34) 
womby: 37 (II. iv. 124) 
word: 32 (II. iii. 52) 
worshipp'd: 14 (I. ii. 233) 
would: 17 (II. Chor. 18) 
wrack: 11 (I. ii. 165) 
wrest: 6 (I. ii. 14) 
wringing: 76 (IV. i. 256) 

yearn: 30 (II. iii. 3) 
yerk: 94 (IV. vii. 84) 



W48 








4*^ 







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r> ^ \^K* ^ Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 4 

*d> *T7n * <•,* Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Ox.de 

^ $ * • • ; Treatment Date: Feb. 2009 

^ ** **^§li PreservationTechnologies ^ 

A WORLD LEADER .N COLLECTS PRESERVATION 

^^rx oW^K 111 Thomson Park Drive 

47 <■?>. oV^§AJ Cranberry Township, PA 16066 a 

<#* •„«»* (724)779-2111 




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